And repeat ...

Just over a year ago, I blipped the joyous event of our first social visit after eleven weeks of lockdown, when we headed along our lane to sit, carefully distanced, with our oldest Dunoon friends to drink aperos and eat canapés in the sunshine. This evening we were there again, though it wasn't until we were just going out that I thought to check when it had been, this magical first contact (First Contact, by the way, is a favourite film of mine ...)

Anyway, because of our inability to tear ourselves away and come home to make dinner, I'm sitting typing this at half past midnight, having just put a loaf on with the timer because we have no bread for breakfast and I forgot earlier. Brief let me be ...

Another wonderfully warm, sunny day - but with quite a strong easterly wind that kept me cooler in the late morning when I was howking weeds out of the front path. Before that, my pal Di had dropped in for coffee - she lives quite far out of town, so tends to check if the Blethers café is open when she's coming in for something. We sat in the sun blethering (what would you expect?) for an hour, but I'd been up early enough to do my Italian before coffee and felt consequently smug. Lunch was also outside; I shall take it ill when we have to retreat indoors again.

We managed to fit in a quick circuit of Benmore Gardens in the afternoon - it just goes on looking gorgeous as some blooms fad and others take their place - before changing to socialise. I sometimes think that's what I miss most - having a reason to put on something slightly different. Usually it's only church that gives me a reason to look other than a superannuated child dragged in from playing outside, and even there we have to wear masks which somehow is all you're aware of when you see someone. Tonight I wore dangly earrings, with no worries about pulling them out, and felt somehow special. Sad, huh? (I wore clothes as well, just in case you're wondering...)

So that's my photo. We're not socially distanced - we're sitting round the table under the trellis with the wisteria dangling. We're drinking fizz and having a laugh, and talking ....and talking ...

And talked for so long that the sun became too low to warm us any more. It was time to go. 

Cheers!