Bach

It's Friday, late afternoon, and around now each week I make a list of any paperwork that needs attending to over the weekend and as it's also nearly the end of the month, check invoices to see who has or hasn't paid their bill. Always a frustrating time, and so to create a calm and peaceful ambience I like to listen one of three different types of music. Baroque, Gregorian Chant, or in this case Bachs Cello Concertos which are a particular favourite. It never ceases to amaze me just how slack people can be when settling up their bill, and for a small company it can be crippling. After working out this months outstanding stuff, can you believe that it comes to a staggering amount just short of £2000! And so more time has to now be sent contacting them and sending out reminders, yet again......Aarrgghhh!Right, that's done...and so onto the last half of my week.

On wandering around the garden with my morning coffee before work, I check out anything that catches my eye.

The bronze man is relaxing among the ferns.

The pot of Rudbeckia brightens up this dark corner near the patio door, We've had this clump in a pot for about five years now. Sometimes it does well, and others as is the case this year, it does alright.

The Tibouchina is just simply going from strength to strength. I adore this plant and hope that we can somehow keep it alive over winter as we no longer have a greenhouse.

One of the places needed all of it's lawns mowing and edging, a task that takes around three and a half hours, and can you believe it, the rain held off until I quite literally closed the van door to leave, and then the heavens opened!.......for the rest of the day.

This is part of the same place, and as you can see, the grass is just starting to recover from the earlier drought.

Amanda had been attending to some stuff in town, and so as work was somewhat curtailed due to the monsoon, I phoned her and arranged to meet her in a bar called Soho in Westbourne.

I'm getting worried for my own sanity as my little camera now goes everywhere with me so that I can take blog pictures.

Today was one of those days when I woke up really tired and fed up. Unable to muster any positive thinking, I steeled myself for the dull day ahead and the hard jobs that lay in store. Amanda, being the amazing wife that she is, came through to the kitchen and saw my long face and lacklustre smile, and offered to come out to help me for the day to chum me along. I am so blessed to have her, and as the day went on she did indeed lift my spirits and we both ended up having a great time. We stopped for a coffee break at one point, relieving ourselves of some change to get instant drinks from a dispensing machine in the local newsagents. Amanda went for black tea...on the left, and I chose a latte.....on the right!?....I think the machine needs fixing, but it was a good black coffee anyhow.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had been asked to quote for the regular maintenance of a retirement home. Not what you may call prestigious, or for that matter in any way attractive or inviting, but hey, it's work and I don't take that for granted. As you can see there are hedges.....

.....and hedges......

.....and hedges......

....and more hedges.......

....did I mention the hedges?.......

....and even more hedges.........

.....and more.....

Oh yes.....and more hedging.....

.........and another bit of hedge! I'm going to have to track down Edward Scissorhands for this one. Let's give it some thought over the weekend. For now though, just before I am doing this post, lets see what catches my eye in our garden.

Kniphofia. This little beauty was showing nothing but strappy leaves a week ago, but the little bit of rain has resulted in it sending up a mass of it's wonderful and majestic flowers....just love it!

We have got ;oads of different Agapanthus through the garden, and this one has only thrown up one bloom this year for some reason, but what a bloom you little cutie.

There are several pots by the front door, and even though it was just a last minute idea to stuff the last empty pot with them in spring, the coleus have worked really well....I think anyway.
That's all folks!.......TTFN