Sunday evening randoms

Complaints out of the way first: I am yet again fighting a cold. I think I have been unwell for about six weeks now and I am sick of it. That our the way, on to more pleasant things.

We had to do some shopping this weekend - not the food kind of shopping but the shoes and clothes kind of shopping. It is not my forte and I don't enjoy it. Richard told me that a friend of his has to drive his wife to the shopping centre twice a week. What can one possibly do twice a week in the same old shopping centre? We went to two shops there, H&M and Office. I have never been to the latter but Annie informed me that no teenager with any self respect would buy their shoes at Clarks, so Office it was. We also stopped at Decathlon and Ikea for sports stuff and glasses respectively. It was successful for the kids, not so much for my wallet.

I spent the afternoon gardening. This is not something I often do, being more of an armchair gardener. I have a raised flower bed in need of attention. I pottered happily for almost three hours, weeding and planting. I dug up a few clumps of Alchemilla. These seem to love it here and they are pretty enough but I don't want my entire garden covered in them. I remove several each year and feel like Sisyphus, pushing a boulder up the hill. It was hard work. I had three Rudbeckia fulgida in need of planting out, one Geranium macrorrhizum, one Anemone nemorosa and one orange Geum. Some of these went in the flower border. I planted Acidanthera murielae bulbs and Ranunculus 'claws' (not sure what they are called but they look like claws). I also planted half of 20 plugs of Erigeron karvinskianus, a kind of daisy that hopefully will soften up some steps and nooks and crannies in the garden. By 4 pm I was spent and in need of my bed. Feverish, tired and coughing up mucus, it was disgusting. Still, a good day.

Sunday morning I felt better and we did some more gardening. I instructed Richard to dig up an unsightly shrub that has grown out of control and replace it with our three blueberry plants which spent the winter in pots in a corner of the garden after we dug them up for our extension building. Then I filled some gaps with the remaining plants. I counted the lily of the valley that I had planted a few weeks ago and I am pleased that almost all rhizomes produced a plant. I am looking forward to the scent wafting into the open windows of my sewing room. I was kinder to my failing body and didn't overdo it. Richard continued gardening more or less all day.

I pottered around inside and did some sewing whilst listening to my audiobook. I was hoping that Sam might clean the bathrooms in exchange for some cash but he didn't so I had to do it myself. He is apparently studying for his Higher exams, starting in a few weeks. To me it seems he spends his days moping around, eating every last crumb of food he can find. His pj's have probably fused with his skin.

Annie decided that James' and Alistair's room needed repainting. She decided to do it herself next week and for cash of course. The paint is bought and the room tidied in preparation. She can be a bit of tyrant when she wants something done and the boys didn't dare not helping. The result are two big bags for charity, a soaking teddy bear in the bathtub and a room that looks like nobody lives there. The teddy apparently needed a bath. 

For dinner we had chicken and leek pie followed by bread and butter pudding. I don't think I'll be able to eat for a week, I am that stuffed. Richard makes good pies and the chilly evening was perfect for it.

I have a new haircut. Thursday after lunch I was writing a script for a short promotional video when it occurred to me I'd be on the website for eternity. I made an appointment for the same afternoon. I have a lot of hair and it is very thick and unmanageable I decided to try a new stylist, Tara. My brief was to make me look young, beautiful and radiant. Failing that, I said she could do whatever she thought might suit me. She took some time thinking, asked me how what I did with my hair (nothing) and how much time I might be prepared to spend on my hair. She tested how my hair falls and curls. I thought that was promising. Then she got to work. She was delighted that I had not had my hair cut since October. I am a work in progress, I'll need a couple of further trims before my hair looks the way she imagines it should look. She told me that I mustn't come back for at least 10 weeks. I can live with that. My hair has been cut dramatically in the back, not so much in the front. It is very layered now. The result is a head of curls that I haven't seen in a long time. Tara told me not to use a hair dryer, or a brush once the hair is dry. I can live with that, too. The only thing I have to do is work some product in my hair. Remember the styling mousses from the 1980s? Something like that. It is good for the curls I am told. I am happy with my new cut and I like Tara so all is good. 

Oh, the spammers have been visiting here. I don't need coconut oil, easy cash or anything else, thank you very much. Please go and get a life that doesn't involve harassing people. 

How did you spend your weekend? Anything nice? I'd like to know. Thanks for visiting, I always enjoy your company. Have a lovely week. x