Lola about to get into trouble...again!

Up and in the pool by 8.30am.  I've missed my thrice weekly pool sessions but with the girls here, there's no way I would have been able to have the pool to myself, so I didn't go in.

During lunch D and I had a look at our calendar and excited and stressed ourselves at the busy times coming up, starting with a fire safely check tomorrow morning.  Because our house is also a place of work (for Alan's team) we need to have a fire safety check and an exit plan in the event of a fire.  Be interesting to see what the firefighter has to say. 

After lunch we went into the garden for a bit of a tidy up.  

My pots were looking quite straggly so tackled them, removing the remains of the annuals and chopping dead bits off the perennials and giving the lavender a good hair cut.  Also cut back two hydrangeas and cut back the herbs.  The sage and marjoram haven't survived the winter, but the mint, thyme, rosemary and lemon balm are going strong.  

We started a major clear out of certain areas of the garden last year and this is a work in progress.  The previous owners were very keen gardeners and we have reaped the benefit of their planting for 10 years now, but have to face the fact that certain plants were past their best and others had out-grown their space.  Others had just died.

We don't have a green finger between us and last week admitted that we need some expert help and advice about planting the areas we have cleared, so sometime soon we will get together with a garden planner who will advise and keep up right.  It's too expensive to make mistakes! 

I love this time in the garden when the heather is blooming and the red buds on the Japanese maple are just about to burst open.  The snow drops and crocuses have been and gone, the daffs are still there and the shoots of the bluebells are springing through the soil underneath the maple.  

That is Lola's favourite spot in the garden as she loves to dig there!  She had many attempts this afternoon and got told off each time.  Eventually she took herself off to her second favourite pastime in the garden....ripping bark off one of the trees and chewing it!  More trouble! 

Once inside, dinner made, then while D took Lola for her evening walk, I set about contacting various fellow Golf Widows to arrange our get together on 29th April when our other halves are playing at Gleneagles.  A special golf day that was supposed to take place in April 2020 but like lots of things, had to be postponed due to covid.  The golfers been looking forward to it for two years.  I hope it doesn't rain!

Oh and from today we no longer have to wear face masks in Scotland in indoor public spaces or public transport but advised still to do so where appropriate. 

My sincere apologies for being such a rubbish blip pal.  Every day I plan to catch up properly and every day I find myself rushing to upload my blip before midnight, without a single spare second to comment on anyone's journals.  I really must do better.