Threats work

You know the quote from the Duchess "Speak roughly to your little boy and beat him when he sneezes."? Well I didn't actually beat it, but I did have some very harsh words with this agapanthus this spring and warn it that after 3 years of not flowering it would be heading for the garden bin if it didn't perform this year... Well, as you can see it, something worked. It has one (but that's a start) magnificent head which is a good eight inches across. I'm not sure whether to continue with the harsh words or reward it with praise and plant food for its positive behaviour! I know which the educator in me would opt for!
I went into the chemist next door this morning to ask about the Winter flu vaccines and it seems that we may have more luck there, which is a great relief. Colin and I could cope with sitting in a queue in a car for up to a couple hours, but I'm not sure that 97 year old mum in law could, especially with no loo available!
Colin's cousin, who is also my friend and a former colleague came round today with one of her daughters. Today is her 66th birthday, I'm not sure how we all got to be that age, I'm sure I was about 30 last time I checked. Nice to see her and catch up on news.

I decided to make a bramble and apple sponge today so nipped up to the cycle track for some brambles - we've plenty of windfalls available for the other essential ingredient. I took less than fifteen minutes and moved less than 20 feet from the access steps to pick a pound and a half of beautiful large berries. Excellent, the sponge was delicious.
Ali and Stuart joined us for dinner this evening and to see nana. We finished the evening with a game of the new 2020 edition Trivial Pursuit... Ali and Stuart have been complaining that our version all happened before they were born, at least with their new set they may have a chance of knowing some things we haven't a clue about! Nobody won but Colin and I were both only one piece of pie short when we called a halt.

Stay safe everybody, it's so hard to face the fact that we are hurtling, apparently out of control, down the road to reintroducing restrictions.

Steps today 8700