Still crazy

I thought I was doing OK. Really, I did. A bit frayed around the edges maybe, not entirely sure of which day it is (or, let's face it - month. I'm pretty sure it's still 2020) but more-or-less keeping it together.

However based on my behaviour this morning I think my attempts at sanity may be an illusion. For today I placed an online order for more sewing supplies. Under what delusions am I under? How crazy am I exactly? I even considered buying one of the NHS scrubs kit. Imagine the poor nurse who ended up with scrubs sewn by me. Just when you think your life can't get any harder...!

Don't worry - I did not get the scrubs kit. I may be delusional but I'm not completely mad (yet!)

Where are my peanuts?????

We may have created a monster...

My Trusty Steed

Supply runs have become much easier this week after Neal attached a milk crate to the back of my bike. Between this and a back pack I am managing astonishing loads. Just in time, too - because the new season asparagus is out.

This is week 6, and though it must be admitted that Neal is much better at this than I am, we are both fine. I have swapped the sewing for hand-stitching - there's a textile art group on Facebook doing weekly challenges and so far it's been fun. So far as in I am 4 weeks behind and I have only just started yesterday - but whatever. I kept up with the sewing until I ran out of materials, and it did get marginally better.

In squirrel news, all the squirrels have now worked out the feeder, but the little one chews on the lid anyways because he is a complete and utter bastard. We read that peanuts weren't actually that good for squirrels, and that they liked vegetables, so we tried some broccoli florets and courgette in the hopes of encouraging a better (cheaper!) diet. The squirrels looked surprised, and investigated right away. One took a nibble of broccoli and then hurled it to the ground in what I can only assume was disgust. They all ignored the rest completely, and took turns sitting on the fence, staring meaningfully into the window. We have reverted back to peanuts and peace is restored. We've just hung a new goldfinch feeder up this morning so we'll see what the squirrels make of that! 

Today, on Squirrel News

All squirrels! All day! Which, let's face it, is considerably more upbeat than regular human news at the moment.

Hot and heavy action at the Squirrelmatic 3000. Out of three squirrels, two have assessed the new situation, and through some trial and error, are now accessing peanuts on demand. Or, you know when we put a few out in the morning. We're not Santa. 

The third squirrel, well. This squirrel has spent literally ages trying to lift up the lid he is standing on. We have seen him jump down on the platform and actually lift the lid, but then jump up and resume fighting physics. This squirrel is obsessed with the feeder and will chase the other squirrels away - so he's stupid AND aggressive. He has now resorted to trying to chew his way through. He is an idiot. He could almost be human.

that's entertainment...

Greetings from the garden. Yes, the weather has been beautiful, and under normal circumstances we would be spending quite a lot of time in the Elephant's beer garden. Luckily, we have another (very) local, and the beer is good. Neal has been brewing most weeks now and I can tell you, that man's beer is as good as his bread.

I have been wreaking havoc with tester pots of paint - see the table below. I am now eyeing up the trellis behind the table as there are two pots of frighteningly dubious shades of green left. Why not?

See the box on the fence? This is the Squirrelmatic 3000, built by James and installed earlier this week. It has a hinged lid that the squirrels need to lift in order to get the peanuts. It took them a day or two to figure it out - all except one who is clearly not too bright. It was hilarious watching them work it out. 

We've been barbecuing most days when the weather is nice, but you can see that standards are slipping (or should I say slipper-ing? ha ha - ba dum - I'm here all week! and next week and the week after.....)

We're still permitted a walk or run a day, and it has been glorious. It's strange seeing the sky with no air-planes. It's quiet, and clean, and full of birdsong. On my runs I have the lanes to myself and I pound down the middle of the road with no fears of an errant white van man taking me out as he rounds a turn too quickly.

This is starting to feel almost normal now - we adapt so quickly. I try not to think too much about what happens next - no one knows and I guess we'll just deal with it when it comes. I am however, pining for the pub :( And rehearsals. I miss making music with my friends. But, all-in-all, there are many things to relish in these odd days, and we might as well enjoy what we can. 

Now I'm off to knit more fence doilies (See? Perfectly sane over here! For sure!) 

Happy Easter everyone x

Fence Art

Today I have mostly been crucifying doilies. Well it is almost Easter, after all...

Happy Friday :)

I'm still pleased it's Friday, even though it doesn't change much. It's nice not to work for a few days I suppose. I've been busy this week - we are preparing logistical summaries and proposals both for shutting buildings down and for re-purposing them for NHS and other uses. It's a bit chaotic, but I think it will calm down as decisions are made. One of the main sites is my baby - after the refurb last year I probably know the building better than most, and certainly the teams working from it. Because the council encompasses so many varied work streams there are no blanket procedures for anything, and what affects one team impacts others as well. It's a giant puzzle, and trying to match this with objectives that conflict and change every day is - challenging. But I'm glad to be busy and it feels good to be helpful even just a little bit.

I went to Macknades this afternoon as well - our local farm shop is amazing and they are doing a great job in keeping us all fed and safe. I queued up in our two metre distances outside the door, sharing sheepish grins with the others in the line, and when I got in, was delighted to find eggs AND flour! Happy Friday indeed! Sadly no kalamata olives, which I have been craving or ricotta, which I wanted for the next pasta grannies recipe. These are good problems to have though aren't they? There were still a few people shopping in pairs which was a bit annoying, 2 sets of couples where the woman did the shopping and the men mooned around the shop getting in everyone's way.  Some prices have really gone up but I guess that's to be expected. It felt almost normal, seeing the people we have seen every week for years, the casual exchanges that all have a slight edge to them now - "are you all well?" (seriously - are you? Please? Please be well. Please let it not be that your friend's mom just died and no one can go to see the family or that your husbands business will probably collapse. Please lets pretend our biggest problem is that all of the tinned tomatoes have mysteriously vanished from this sceptred isle). "Yes, yes - we're well," I say, smiling back and really meaning it.

The weather looks beautiful this weekend - sunny and up to 17 on Sunday, and we have spent literally hours this week discussing and salivating over what we will bbq first. I think we've settled on paella, but there's still another day so that may change. One of my favourite moments these days is the morning discussion of what we want to eat for lunch and supper. I mean, even before this, I would often dreamily contemplate the coming day's eating before I even bothered opening my eyes in the morning, so frankly, I've been training and I'm in good shape for this event.

Happy Friday peoples - and Happy Eating! Stay well x