1st May

Today we had earmarked for DIY because the weather is quite a bit cooler so better for working in.  The focus of our attention was on Wendy and Bill corner where there is a frame for a gazebo but the cover got wrecked by the winter weather.  This was my Dad's favourite spot - he would retire here after Sunday lunch to check his eyes for pin-holes often accompanied by Charlie.

Before we started I went round to take some photographs.  The theme for this week's art challenge is The View from My Window and after a couple of disastrous attempts at painting the view I have admitted defeat and will submit a couple of photographs instead.



We then set about putting up the wire netting which is to provide something for the Passion Flower to attach itself to and thereby create natural shade.  You can see that the weather is unsettled as the clouds began to amass during the morning and it was quite chilly when the sun went in.  Although it was a fiddly job John did really well only stabbing his nose once in the process!!!  We didn't argue and afterwards we managed to get that area all tidied up and clear so that it looks fabulous.

Here it is - newly spruced up, clean and tidy with a new net hat - Wendy and Bill Corner!!!

That was enough work for John for today - like he says we still have three weeks in lockdown so he needs to have other jobs to see him through.  As we were sat down for a well earned coffee we realised that today was the beginning of our tenth year living here permanently as we arrived on 1st May 2011.

This afternoon I prettied up the wooden window box fascia that John made for me.  I dug out my stencils and one of the glass decorating pens which I was given at Christmas and put a bit of wording on it.

For the remainder of the afternoon I was in the kitchen knocking up a sausage cassoulet which was to be for our supper and I was taking a portion down to Isobel.

I was absolutely knackered this evening and we were only 30 minutes into the series we are watching when I waved the white flag and said to John I was going to retire to be early. 

We are having a quiet day tomorrow - the weather forecast isn't great and the next job John wants to tackle is building the new archway for the kiwi fruit to grow up and over.  That will need it to be dry as there is cutting and staining involved.

This weekend will be the last under the current restrictions providing the numbers of cases of Covid-19 remain low.  On Monday we will be allowed out three times a day rather than the current once and the curfew is 10.00pm until 6.00am.

What the Ration Book says...
Chewing gum became an official war material thanks to the advertising skill of a leading maker of the stuff, Philip K Wrigley.  He persuaded the UK authorities that it relieved soldiers'tension, slaked their thirst and even cleaned their teeth 0 and he was asked by the army to supply a stick of gum for every pack of their combat rations.  American soldiers (GIs) in Britain became used to hopeful children calling out to them, 'Got any gum, chum?'.