Watching you, watching me

(That's a song by Bill Withers. I've just looked up the lyrics and they are pretty feeble.)

So...Today...
It rained and it winded. But I managed to get busy with a pair of pruners and do a lot of damage to the hedge before the worst of the rain hit.

I also found a badgers' toilet whilst I was forcing my way through the undergrowth. I'm not sure whether to feel flattered or insulted. Their charm and novelty is beginning to wane ever so slightly since I found they'd thrown my onions around like a finicky frenchman, but still... at least they don't poo in the vegetables or pee in the garage like the neighbours' cats do. And I don't see them sitting in the hedge, sunbathing and hunting birds like they own the place.

When I came in for lunch I found I'd been sent a really lovely surprise gift in the post from a fellow writer/OU/Twitter friend. I was really touched and am sitting here smiling at it now. It's a very nice feeling to be given something that proves someone has thought about you and paid some attention to your life and the things you say. So: thank you very much, Natalie.

Richard's on his second day of steroids for his chest and polyps, and has been much brighter. After lunch he got the garden shredder out and starting shredding my cuttings.

I've encouraged him to go to the pub this evening because some friends of his are going, but I've been sitting at the kitchen table worrying ever since. I'm not sure he should be drinking much, and no one but me knows how tired and poorly he's been. I hope he comes home all in one piece.
I also hate being on my own in the evenings. Gemma's at her boyfriend's, Tess is in bed and Joel has shut himself in his room. It's so quiet, I can hear the wall clock ticking. I love being alone during the day but at night I hate it.

I took this photo a couple of hours ago, before Richard went out. It was getting late and I was getting desperate for a photo, so I started following the family around with my camera. Richard created this one, I guess. I didn't have much to do with it really.



He's just come home with hiccups. It's not quiet anymore!