Weekend round-up

Another year older (way past counting!); an excuse for some age-related cards:

We've had a good weekend pottering in the garden, and doing a spot of packing for our hols.  Oh, and an emergency repair to one of our bags - the zip had pulled away from the fabric, and yet again I was thankful that I had some strong thread (and needle and thimble) to effect a more than satisfactory repair.  Phew, emergency averted!  I've also finally managed to finish a project that got put on hold for a while, so the kitchen walls look a bit brighter at last.  It's surprising what a splash of colour does to life some plain walls.

Although we've had bright blue skies and sunshine where we are, the foghorns have been sounding out over the weekend and today, and on our walk into town this morning we understood why - the sea was completely blanketed with sea-mist/fog (I think it's due to an inversion of cold air over hot air - or is it the other way around?, I'm never quite sure!)  Either way, today it had cleared by the afternoon but as I'm typing this evening I can hear the foghorns blaring away again so I guess the visibility over the water is bad again.  It is a timely reminder that if you live on an island, weather conditions do have to be factored in to any travel arrangements getting on and off the island, especially if there are further connections to be made with trains etc.  A delayed sea crossing can mess travel plans up completely!

Everything in the garden, and indeed the hedgerows, suddenly seems to have taken off.  

Tomatoes and squashes

Trees that just a week ago had the merest suggestion of colour are now bursting with fresh green-ness; the fruit trees have blossom and the lawn is covered with bright yellow dandelions - I must try to pick the flower heads off before they set seed and go everywhere.  Every day there are new seeds emerging in the greenhouse and propagator, it's such an exciting time.  The promise of all that wonderful homegrown goodness to come . . . mmmm!

With the heating now firmly off for the summer, our gas consumption has dropped right down (always so satisfying!).  We continue to record the weekly figures and whilst the gas is down, the electric usage is only slightly down.  Cooking, laundry etc still have to be done.  Perhaps it will reduce a little in the summer.

The list of projects I began at the start of the year now has lots of very satisfying ticks alongside the items and I think the time has come to begin a new one for the next two or three months.  Having this checklist to work to has kept me focussed over the winter and some projects that have been outstanding for several months have at last been finished.  I am now mentally compiling my new list and already it's getting quite long ;-)  

Back after our hols . . .