Good things to come

I’m struck again by how spring is coming on apace even though we’re just in February & fresh snow is still falling on the Lakeland fells & the Pennine hills.

Our snowdrops & crocuses are still not opening up, yet today I saw our first mini daffodil half-open. The corner by the compost bin is all the brighter for the cheery splash of yellow.

Then as I wash up the things used in preparing today’s dinner – spatchcock chicken now marinating in jerk seasoning ready to roast this evening – I look out of the kitchen window to see a blue tit investigating the bird box, obviously looking for a safe home to bring up its young family to come.

Yesterday we went up to the chemist & collected the Fox’s new medication for his rash. While chatting to the chemist, who was interested in the Fox’s diagnosis, he couldn’t help suggesting that the rash may well go away once we can get out in some sunshine, though not sunbathing. We wouldn’t do that anyway – too boring. We commented we were going away soon so we’ll see. He seemed to think that was probably the best cure – sunshine & relaxation.

After we left we turned to each other, and commented that maybe that was the real cause of the rash. We never went on holiday last year, just a couple of nights in Windermere last Feb & one night just the other side of a very wet Lancaster. The weather in this part of England was pretty grey & wet all year except for a brief couple of week spell early on in the summer so we didn't even sit out in the garden that much. 2017 was undoubtedly a very stressful year for us. It is only now we can feel we can go away & relax a bit, &, in the course of it, pick up some of the sun’s rays.

We’re even more convinced of our need for a holiday. We’re looking forward all the more eagerly to our trip to the south of France. (A map & a guidebook arrived in yesterday’s post – yippee!) We’re also convinced once we’ve organised all the bits for this holiday – car hire, airport parking, Manchester hotel(?) – we should get down to sorting out another holiday for this year. We’ve already decided to have another go at getting to Lake Garda in Italy come September time. Now we’re wondering if we couldn’t fit a third holiday in in early summer, June for example. We’ll see.