I need a holiday already!

I'm not going to moan, just briefly recap. Celia has had a knee replacement and needs weekly hospital visits. Amanda has broken her arm and has needed help with most things that need two arms....and weekly hospital visits. I have the sore throat from hell and a torn muscle and damaged nerve in my shoulder.....and had a doctors visit. There has been a lot of gardening to do, the news that our new accountant now wants everything up to date and ready by March (I was thinking September), and it's flaming cold, wet, and in this picture dropping sleet.

 

 

I wasn't at my peak of condition as you can tell. The spring in my step has sprung, and I'm not sure quite what has happened to the skin on my face, perhaps I need some of this stuff.

 

Although the weather has been pretty cold, there was one sunny day this week, and I quite enjoyed going  around and freshening up the soil that had become quite panned down with all of the adverse weather. The two new apple trees appear to be doing ok so far. The older apple trees will get pruned next year. As with all fruit trees last year, they didn't produce very well because of the lack of sunlight throughout, but one has to remain optimistic that this year will be better.

 



 

Although I keep good records of work income, expenditure etc, in the past I have usually had one mad rush to correlate it all in September so that the accountant can do the necessaries. The accountants that we have used since starting up, very wisely retired last year, and we have a new and younger model. Through sore throat and muggy head, I have been introduced to the world of how it is going to be. Interactive spreadsheets that I am not used to, daily entries and so on. All as it should be, just so long as the paperwork doesn't become a job in itself. Needless to say, his personal accounting was very impressive indeed, but then, accountants and numbers eh? I was just left feeling confused, and with a sore throat.

 

Winter mornings like these are so very nice to be outside in. I see others heading off to their various inside jobs and count my blessings that although things are a little rough at the moment, I can not only take pleasure in my work surroundings, but if I so desire, simply head to the beach for a walk or such like. Being a self employed gardener doesn't bring great wealth, but it does bring freedom of choice to a great degree.

 

I spotted this Sarcococca hookeriana tucked away and almost forgotten in one of the shrub borders. One of the Buxus family, for most of the year it looks very boring, and as a result isn't one of my favourites, but this little fellow pulled me in enough to think 'wow', admire it, and even take this photo.

 

Another task has been to prepare this area for a little change. For some reason the previous gardener had decided to try and be all modern and abstract, and cut this triangular bed, off centre to a very semi-circular lawn, and flank it unevenly with two different sized tree beds. We have been looking after this large place for about eight years now, and finally reached this spot as the latest update thank goodness.

 

The new bed will be a circle of about five feet diameter, with the centre being in the middle of the right hand straight, if that makes sense. This shows you just how fay off from centre the existing bed is. The two trees are to go, the circles moved to line up with everything, and two Acer 'Senkaki' to finish. Not everything should be quite so centred I know, but in this instance, and when viewed from a distance, it makes sense believe me.

 



 

With Amanda off for two months, I am going to need some help now and again, and my son-in-law Dom answered my phone call that morning with a 'sure, I will be there in about fifteen minutes'. This guy can put his hand to pretty much anything, and makes short work of the grass cutting here, which believe me is no small task. It was icy cold and windy this time, but his lines are nice and straight!

The front lawn all finished for today, and the back areas still being worked on.

 



 

Today is Friday, two places on Sandbanks to do this morning, then trips to the hospital this afternoon. Although most computer time'has been spent on accounts, I have been busy planning a few little 'pick me ups', but that's for a little later.

 

Take care all of you, and stay fit!