Monday 1 June 2009

Z gets the scythe out again

I meant to do some cooking, but it's been too hot. I'm not sure what I'll feed my guests on tomorrow. I've cooked a piece of ham and a chicken and I intended to buy a salmon from the fishmonger today, but he didn't arrive. His van must have broken down. Not much use if he arrives in the middle of my meeting tomorrow. I don't know what to replace it with (the salmon, that is) but I suppose I'll come up with something.

I cleaned the house; at least, some of it - this house is never clean and tidy all through at the same time - last week and it is filthy again. I should have left it and done it all in one go.

However, what I have done is a fairly big attack on the garden. Dave will be surprised when he comes next (this is Dave the Bricklayer. The Fellow has moved house), though not as surprised as he'd be if he were not forewarned. Of course, if the position was reversed, I would not be surprised at all. I am entirely unobservant and would not see any difference.

Now it's 4 o'clock and I have a lot of shopping, mostly for wine and salad, to do. Then I have to spend the rest of the day cooking and cleaning. However, I have mowed the lawn. I didn't enjoy it at all - unlike Dave, I rather like a lawn, but I don't appreciate cutting it. But now, having bought an electric lawnmower, it is my job, at least I can do it when I want to without having to mention it politely to the Sage.

Ro has taken his car off the road for a while - he's not moving until the weekend, but one of his colleagues will give him a lift from about 2 miles from here. From near the famous Chicken Roundabout, in fact. I've lent him my bike for the week.

There are more and more rabbits about. They are in the field and the drive all day, as well as during the night. They hardly bother to run away any more from us, especially the babies. I don't mind at all, now that I've got my beans netted.

I was scything this morning when a friend arrived to see the Sage (he was not called Dave. Neither of them is). They stood chatting, and when I stopped work the friend greeted me "Did I just hear a scythe of relief, Z?"

Oh dear. I've just remembered I've got a meeting at 5.30. My plans have just gone further awry.

8 comments:

Dave said...

*Makes mental note to be surprised when he next sees the garden*

You would be quite surprised how my garden has changed since you last saw it - were it not for the photos I keep publishing.

Z said...

*Makes mental note to notice whether or not you've had a haircut since I saw you last*

I'm still prepared to be impressed, Dave, when I see it again. Last time I visited you, there was a lawn and a space where the greenhouse now is.

Dave said...

I didn't get a haircut, because the barbers was, as I feared, shut for lunch until 1 (we had an early lunch, you may recall, so I was there rather sooner than I would have been any other time).

This is the only reason, you understand, why I'm keen to start bricklaying again.

Z said...

Since I think your hair looks fine as it is (and it's not my hair anyway) it isn't the reason I'm keen to start bricklaying again. However, it's not the Sage's priority right now, though he's making good progress on the other matters so he might be okay by tomorrow evening. If one specific thing doesn't go right, he'll be sunk in misery and not in the mood - but knowing his luck, I'm hopeful he'll pull it off.

martina said...

A scythe of relief? What a sickle joke.... My Z, that is quite the repast you are serving your guests. Debate amongst the "womenfolk" of the family centers on two questions..dust first or vac (Hoover) first? Fold bath towels in thirds and then halves or vice versa? What is your opinion on these issues?

Z said...

I always dust first, and then if there are any bits and pieces they will fall on the floor and can be hoovered up. Halves first. It's acceptable to fold hand towels in thirds, but too tricky to get the folds exact with anything bigger.

I'm quite abashed to have such firm opinions. Rest assured that I rarely dust, hoover, or fold towels.

martina said...

I'll come over some time and fold the towels for you-as we agree on technique. I'll not offer to dust, as you probably have lots of fragile bits of china on display and I'm a bit of a klutz.

Z said...

Nothing that matters on display, darling - china is in cabinets as I spent too many years as a child dusting all my mother's stuff. And nothing here too precious to be used. It's only stuff, after all.