Spring 2020 - Trials and Tribulations

It is incredible how much the world has changed since I wrote my last post. It seems very surreal. I had been told several years ago to expect a change in the way we live – especially that air travel would not remain easily accessible for all, so that it was important to be based where you needed to be. 

To be honest, I have been practically self-isolating for years and live a fairly simple life – between home, the garden and the allotment, with only the occasional jaunt away and a close-knit circle of friends. Therefore, the lockdown has not been as difficult for me as I can imagine it is for those with no outside space to enjoy and who are separated from loved ones. I do miss my little trips out and about, but of course, the reason behind the lockdown is a constant concern and anxiety, especially when loved ones are classified as high risk and so every cough or headache is treated with suspicion.

Whilst a trip to the shops has become a traumatic experience, I cannot help be glad though that there are benefits to the shutting down of the way of life as we knew it. The skies are clear; there is a sound of silence (apart from Ron - the new neighbours diminutive but vociferous Jack Russell), and birds singing and the hum of bees, instead of the distant drone of traffic on the motorway.  With less traffic the pollution levels have dropped. Nature is quick to recover from the abuse that humans have been increasingly inflicting upon her.

Although the days and weeks are passing with stitching projects and planned activities cancelled; including a long anticipated workshop to learn how to make a willow wigwam (for my plants – not for me to live in!), the timing of which fell on the exact weekend that the lockdown began; lots of little events have still happened that differentiate the days.

As the welcome arrival of Spring has brought the sunshine, the garden has been tended and is flourishing. The absence of a tedious commute means that there is more time to stitch and the opportunity to be outside close to Nature, rather than cooped up in a dusty, stuffy office inspires my creativity and so several stitching pieces - some with a Spring theme have now been completed.

"White Narcissi" is a design by Caroline Zoob, with a few personalised additions to cover a mistake!

"Bunny in the Daffodils" is another Caroline Zoob design

"Hello Spring"

is a little lavender cushion of my own design, inspired by both Caroline Zoob and Nicki Franklin.

There has also been the uncalled for excitement of a new addition to my household. Not a particularly welcome one I hasten to add. The sunshine and arrival of Spring has breathed new life into Evie and she has discovered a joie-de-vivre more suited to a young kitten than a seventeen year old cat! 

Yesterday she arrived home – jumping through the open window, with a new playmate, which she was thrilled to show me as she placed him at my feet.

At first glance, I thought he was dead, then his nose twitched and the next thing Evie and her new friend – Jerry, embarked upon a game of chase around the kitchen. I had the presence of mind to shut the kitchen door into the main house, before ascending hurriedly onto a chair, and shrieking loudly as Jerry headed in my direction. I tried commanding Evie to catch him and continue the game outside, but to no avail. Jerry wasn’t hanging about and dived under the sofa. Evie was disappointed in his poor sportsmanship and lie down to wait for him, before getting bored and wandering off outside to see if she could find a relative of Jerry’s who did want to play with her.

However, this was only round one and after my frantic calls for help were answered, Evie remembered her new playmate and with the sofa now relocated to the centre of the room, another game of chase took place with Evie in gleeful pursuit. I had managed to hurriedly block up any other potential hidey-holes that Jerry might think of exploring, but unfortunately for Evie – and definitely Me, luck favoured Jerry as Evie dislodged the breadboard that I had placed to block off the gap alongside the range cooker. Jerry saw his advantage and took it at speed, with Evie trying her best to squeeze in after him.

The range cooker is one of those large Smeg appliances, so it was no easy feat to drag it out, but regardless of the horrendous damage we were doing to the floor, we succeeded and Jerry took another dash around the cooker; (more shrieks from me and mayhem from Evie) before he ran below the cooker again…… and then disappeared!! Honestly – he completely vanished! Gone!

A major operation took place to tilt the cooker forward – more damage to the floor ensued. It was a mystery as to Jerry’s whereabouts, but Evie remained beside the cooker with her gaze riveted to the underneath, which was now at a 45 degree angle. With little regard to Health and Safety, I peered at the underside of the cooker, and noticed to my horror – a tiny gap in the metal casing on the front, bottom right side – just the perfect size for a mouse called Jerry.

That is unfortunately where the story pauses, as from his escape into the innards of the cooker, Jerry has not been seen again. Evie strolled off in disgust while I digested the carnage in the kitchen. The repercussions of Jerry’s bolt-hole are significant as I am not enamoured at the prospect of a mouse in my cooker – dead or alive. Traps are now positioned around the kitchen in the hope that Jerry will be tempted with some Green and Black chocolate – however if he doesn’t materialise soon, the chocolate will have melted and there is an even greater concern that Jerry’s corpse may need to be extricated before it starts to decompose. How we can even begin to dismantle the cooker is another problem that I do not want to contemplate at present. So, as Evie spends another few hours frolicking in the flowerbeds trying to find a replacement / companion for Jerry, I considered moving into the summer-house and the baking of another batch of Sunflower and Fennel bread was put on hold!

Another fine mess!

The saga developed further this evening when after hearing some information from Oracle Ann at the allotment - that a mouse will die soon after coming into contact with a cats saliva, the cooker had to be dismantled right away. After a lot of mess, stress and a bit of huffing and puffing, a very stone dead Jerry was indeed retrieved from the darkest crevice of the cooker casing. 

Evie was a bit put out by all the commotion and has skulked off into the night to console herself with another hunt for a friend.

xxx

PS; I had already written this post and was about to publish it when I heard the sad news that one of my dear fellow allotmenteers has suddenly left us this morning. I hesitated as to whether to publish this today, but I know Bobby would find it amusing - so I will dedicate this little story to him. He was a Character, who really loved Nature and had more lives than a cat (but sadly today they eventually ran out). His knowledge of gardening and sense of humour will be sorely missed in our little allotment community. 

Bobby's plot

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