Monday 14 October 2019

Wettish Monday

The day began with pale sunshine and only a gentle breeze - it was quite warm.   Then the fog descended, disappeared and it began to rain - again.   Really Otober is getting so depressing that it is really getting me down.   The damp is slowly spreading along the wall in my bedroom, which is not helping - hopefully the builders are coming to try and deal with the problem later this week.   I find myself really 'on edge' today - something to do with age and with living alone and having no-one with whom to share one's problems I suppose.
But I am not alone in that I know. 

 In a brief interval I managed to plant thirty dwarf daffodil bulbs - I still have a lot more to plant.   My gardener is not well and will not come again this year, so the lawn will miss its last cut and I shall have to plant my bulbs myself.   I can only manage around thirty at a time without hurting my back, so I plough on a few at a time.   Hopefully just poking them into a swiftly dug hole will result in a fine show in the Spring - no time for any fancy planting I'm afraid.

Because it was a dismal day  ,like Tom I watched the State Opening of Parliament this morning.   I don't apologise for enjoying the Pomp and Ceremony - I love the split second organisation - if anything ever does go wrong it is never noticeable - everything seems to go like clockwork and men seem to stand for ages holding swords up in the air or balancing for a good half hour when they are not young by any means (five minutes would be my limit for standing up).   I was pleased to see that the Queen had a helping hand from Prince Charles - that heavy brocade dress and train at her age defies the imagination.    At least the Imperial State Crown is now carried on a cushion.

I was reflecting earlier this evening on how, when one lives alone, it is important to chat to people every day rather than shut oneself away.   I worked out my 'speaking' today:   my cleaning lady here for an hour and a half;  two people I know from my dog-walking - first J with Sammy with whom Tess is madly in love (10 minute chat) then A and S who were married last Saturday and were just about to set out on a 5 day 'minimoon' to Wales when I saw them.   I chatted long enough to see a photograph of the bride and groom with their two labradors who had a starring role in the marriage ceremony in that they were the 'ring bearers'.  Later, when I was planting my bulbs, I chatted with my neighbour M and finally late afternoon the Chiropodist came - so now I am walking on air.   Busy(ish) day tomorrow so hopefully I shall be a bit more cheerful.   See you then.

21 comments:

wherethejourneytakesme said...

Once the builders solve the water problem for you the wall will start to dry out although it may take some time if it is saturated. Ours is now completely dry since it was rendered and we repainted the dining room wall inside quickly this summer when we had a visitor staying. Some staining is showing through now so will need a coat of that special paint that covers stains before we do it again.
We are up in North Yorkshire at the moment just down the road from you and my was it wet and damp on Sunday....all day...we took the grandchildren out trying to find things to do in wet weather! Luckily we had a sunny dry day Saturday and today. Hope you manage to get all those bulbs planted.

justjill said...

Those connect conversations are so important to ones well being. I speak to everyone I come across on my walks on the prom and we meet as old friends on subsequent visits. Good for the soul.

Heather said...

Hopefully the weather will let up a little to allow your damp wall to dry out, and to cheer us all up too. Fancy planting is not necessary for bulbs. I think random planting is better for them and if you can only do a few at a time, it will mean that their flowering time will be spread and extended.

JanF said...

I think Heather's last sentence was very good and will help you feel better about the planting. You are doing well to be planting any at all, I know my mother couldn't have done it even in her mid 70's.

Lynda said...

I wish I was near..I’d be happy to help you plant bulbs!
Please send us rain..we’re in a drought here in Pennsylvania (USA)....
My mom used to tell me she went out every day so that she had people to talk to...otherwise she was home reading all day!

angryparsnip said...

Everyday is different and you have many lovely friends to talk to. Not like having The Farmer to talk to in the evening. We adapt.
Hopefully you will have a wonderful show of flowers this spring. What ever time they bloom.
parsnip

Joanne Noragon said...

I believe daffodils are not fussy about their planting!

Ellen D. said...

I am always impressed with your positive attitude. Even when things seem tough for you, you get busy and get chatting and you don't give up. Really inspiring to me! Thanks for sharing your ups and downs - it helps me so much.

Cro Magnon said...

Our poor Queen. She has to cope with so much on a daily basis, then receives criticism from uneducated half-wits for her pains. I thought she was wonderful, and feel privileged to have lived through her reign.

Alphie Soup said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alphie Soup said...

You've galvanised me into immediate action today. I've a few minor physical limitations but none as limiting as yours. The sun is shining and its a lovely spring day here, so I will roll up my sleeves and tackle today's chore list with gusto!
About talking with people - not long after I retired I listened to someone speaking about older people living in isolation and they suggested seven person-to-person contacts as a daily minimum. I don't very often achieve that number but it's often worth counting up social exchanges at the end of a day out. Right now I'm in a cafe I visit on a weekly basis and I've reached 3! Nearly half way there...
Alphie

Derek Faulkner said...

People say "be careful what you wish for" and that has come true down here on Sheppey. I've been asking for rain to alleviate our drought, for most of the year and now it won't stop bloody raining, everywhere seems damp or wet all the time. "The last cut of the year" for lawns, used to apply down here but the last few mild winters has made that impossible, mine are currently growing at a silly rate and I could be cutting up till Xmas.

Rachel Phillips said...

Your gardener must have made himself ill through overwork. Now he will get the Sabbath off.

Librarian said...

Where "speaking time" is concerned, I am the opposite - after a busy day at the office, with rushing from one meeting to the other, I often do not want to talk to anyone anymore once I am home, and need some peace and quiet time to myself. After a few hours, I am looking forward to the daily (or nightly) phone call with O.K., but in between, I need to be alone to keep sane.
Planting 30 bulbs sounds like a lot to me, but then I have no gardening experience other than having some potted herbs on my kitchen windowsill.
You do well in taking one day at a time, and I admire how you manage everything and achieve so much every day, even on those days you say you have done "nothing".

the veg artist said...

I worked in an environment where people seemed to be coming at me with their problems from all angles so, like the Librarian, I needed peace and quiet when I was at home. I spent huge amounts of time on my own as a child - not an only child, but a 'late' child, much younger than my siblings. I also lived on my own before I married, and then for five years after my divorce, before remarrying, so I am used to it.
I don't seem to have the need to see people. As I've lived with a disability for over 20 years which makes it difficult for me to get out, I suppose it's just as well I'm OK on my own.

Gillian said...

It has been pouring with rain here with the ground saturated from all the rain we have had over several days. The river Swilgate in Tewkesbury has burst its banks, but is not in any danger of threatening the abbey.

I agree that it is very important to speak to someone every day. Unfortunately, in the village where I live that is not so easy as many people work or are doing their own thing. As one gets older it is very difficult to make new friends, especially if you have had to move following the death of a partner. Many ladies I have spoken to have sung the praises of the U3A saying they don't know how they managed without the organisation when they suddenly found themselves living on their own. I would like to move to the small market town about four miles from where I live as I know so many people there. However there are very suitable properties on the market. As I always say "We will get there".

Jules said...

This month has been rather grey and damp here too and I'm growing weary of it. X

JayCee said...

The veg artist's comment above resonated with me as I too have always been a fairly solitary person and do not always feel the need for conversation. As a child I was shy and didn't make friends easily. My cousin recently described me as a "self-contained" person. We have several friends now but I think that is because my OH is such a gregarious person. Left to my own devices I would probably become quite solitary again. You do seem to have lots of friends and neighbours though who can keep your conversation count high!

Derek Faulkner said...

It was nice to see the comments by Veg Artist and JayCee and realise that there are other people out there like me, who doesn't miss seeing other people and talking to them.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for all these positive comments - it is good to realise that there are so many of us in the same boat and we all have our ways of coping.

Where the journey - wish I had known you were so near - you could have found time to pop in for a coffee. If you are up here for a while longer - please send me an e mail.

wherethejourneytakesme said...

We are up and down frequently at the moment - daughter lives near to Masham. We took the grandchildren out to Jervaulx Abbey - it was beautiful and quite warm in the sunshine, we played hide and seek amongst the ruins then had a lovely, if not expensive lunch, in the tea room. We did think about popping over to Leyburn but decided on the Ice Cream farm instead as they had a play area. I would love to pop over and see you sometime - perhaps when we are without the grandchildren though. I am always happy to meet other bloggers. I will email you when we are in the area next time.