The garden again

The lovely garden of my Mum and Dad's house in Oxford with its breath-taking view across the Thames valley and the low hills of the Cotswolds to the west.

My Dad's ashes are under an apple tree in the orchard in a deep narrow hole I dug in the sandy soil many years ago.

The wind blew and buffetted in the night, water running down the gutter pipes.

A nice lunch in the home's library with my Mum and sister. A quick push around the grounds in a nippy wind but the sun was out.

Later when I went back she was agitated and out of sorts. It must be so hard to keep an even keel when so much has gone. We went back to her room and I painted her nails with some top nail varnish and bright red as she likes it, her hands trembling in mine.

I got some cards out and we played Slap Jack, me filleting out my royals so she could win. Three times. Gawd love her.

On the way back to Oxford I bought some pizzas and salad and wine and A and I finished watching the second series of Upstart Crow. Keeping a place warm for her on the big old brown sofa.