Everything in the Garden

I've been staying with Mum and Dad in Essex again this weekend, to help get some things done while Dad's unable to do them himself. Although he had a little more of the fluid drained from his affected lung earlier this week, he's still having breathing difficulties and also some pain, and is finding it hard to settle down and sleep. It's very upsetting to see someone you love so dearly suffering like that - you feel so helpless. He will have a lung biopsy done on Thursday, and hopefully soon after that he can have the remaining fluid drained from his lung and treatment to stop it coming back. I think then he will feel a lot more comfortable and perhaps be able to resume a more normal routine again.

I spent a couple of hours or so in the afternoon weeding, deadheading and tidying up Dad's garden, so that it would be nicer for him to look out at from his enforced rest in the lounge. He insisted on coming out for a slow walk around both the front and back of the house to see my work, and was pleased with how it all looked. I was happy to do it for him, as I remembered how distressed he got a couple of weeks ago when he realised he wouldn't be able to get out and tend to it himself for the foreseeable future.

This beautiful peach rose bush is still in full bloom, with a couple more buds still to blossom, and can be seen peeping up above one of the lounge windows as if it had grown tall specially for Dad to see it from inside. I took this photo while he was standing next to me looking around. Most of the geraniums still have lots of vivid red flowers on them too. Long may the mild weather last!