Monday

What a beautiful morning!  The sun is shining, there's a fresh breeze moving the leaves and it is a bit cool but not cool enough to make me want to close my windows.  I think I will have breakfast outside today and make the most of it all.

I enjoyed yesterday.  I bustled around clearing up the kitchen which was, frankly, more than a bit of a mess, before getting things ready for the planned meals.  A potential pupil (or rather, the mum of a potential pupil) came for a quick meeting and left satisfied so I have one more on the list and absolutely no more space for anyone else.  It is very pleasant to be able to do what I have always loved - teaching - but without all the other stuff that made life a misery from time to time.
The Beth and Al turned up and we had lunch.  I had made cheese toasties (cheese and ham in Alex's case) with some salad and it all went down a treat.  However, I have now virtually finished the batch of red onion chutney that really adds something special to the toasties, so I will have to make some more.  It's a thermo recipe, so very easy, but it doesn't half stink the house out so I will have to pick my day carefully!

After lunch, Beth and I went to the allotment.  It's still looking good.  We strimmed and watered, Beth hoed round the potatoes and I did a bit more clearing of the back.  Then we had coffee and chatted.  It's such a pleasure and very relaxing.  There were a number of others around but no-one near enough to be intrusive.

Beth took these photos.

Then it was home for a quiet evening and a great night's sleep.

This morning I am allotmenteering again and today's main job is weeding and clearing around the rhubarb plants as those big leaves can hide a multitude of weedy sins!  I'll pick some rhubarb and, because I have the other fruit too, I shall make some of the best jam ever - strawberry, rhubarb and cranberry jam.  It's so gorgeous and just different enough to make splendid gifts.

The afternoon will be spent with FS and the evening will be garden pottering, I suspect.  All very gentle, happy and fulfilling.

In the time it has taken to write this, the sun seems to have faded somewhat but I bet it will be back before long.  And I'd better fade too and start some of those housework tasks that need doing every day.