Cool weather

Last year I took out the Leylandi trees  dug up some of the smaller stumps out and set some daffodils. Unfortunately by the time I managed to get this new camera, the flowers have all but done. It does give you some idea of how nice it did look. I did this primarily to make life easier for me. No more cutting or trimming the Leylandi which seem to grow as you look at them, anyway hopefully life will be a little easier from now.
  The fruit trees had a disease called Apple Scab, the fruit were not good, in fact my apples called Sunset didn't last till Christmas, my Bramley  apples were also poor quality, mind you I mustn't grumble really as I have, this last week used the last apple. I am now starting to spray each 14 days to try to rid them of this disease. I hope that it improves the quality of fruit a little.
 By the way you can't help but notice the fence, it is next door's responsibility. The Young Man said he would do it, that was last year. To be honest I don't expect to see it done in my lifetime. I no longer give him any fruit.
 The other week I cut down my Oulin's Golden Gage plum tree. It has never produced much fruit and last year it had about 10 on but when I went to cover them up the Blackbirds had eaten them so it is no more. Incidentally it was one of the most expensive trees I had ever bought. Well over £40 not including delivery. .
 Incidentally the camera I have now is a Nikon Coolpix, plenty good enough for me to use. More soon.

Surprise

Thank goodness, after all this time I am now able to post some photos, mainly thanks to my mate who managed to get hold of it for me and by setting it up.
 On Monday evening I asked him to get it from Curry's in Skegness which he did so this morning I went over to pick him up as arranged some time ago to give him respite so that he could have a chat and rest. Mind you we didn't get much rest for as you can see with the last photo we, mainly him by the way, managed to get the driveway gates removed. They were becoming unhinged and really not safe. I knew he would have a better idea than I had, this of course was true. He suggested that we disconnected the bolts and hinges, he intends to get some welding done from a Blacksmith he knows. His idea will make them much more secure. Hopefully I will take a photo to show what they will be when in situ.
 Anyway back to this morning. I left home around 7.45am. mainly because he had informed me that there were road works on the main A52 on the outskirts of Skegness. Although there were I had one of the smoothest of journeys and the traffic was very light.
 I arrived at his Partner's home before 8.15am. saying that I would try to get there by 8.30am. I didn't bother to go and call on him so waited. After  a few minutes he came out saying his Partner had told him a red car was outside. Off we went to Morrison's then to Tesco, after that Home Bargains and finally to Wilco.
  We then made our way to mine, the traffic being good so we made good time to mine. We had a cuppa and after he sorted out the camera we went and did the gates.
 We had our main meal and had another cuppa then off back to Skegness. He asked me if it was possible to stop off at a shop to purchase some onions. That indeed was no problem for me, by the way I forgot to tell you that he gave me a small cucumber plant which I have set in my greenhouse. I hope that it will grow well, it certainly looks healthy enough. Anyway I took him back to his Partner's home and set off for home.
 Once more the traffic was light so had a smooth journey home, incidentally I did notice that the progress made on the road works mainly resurfacing was surprising and I expect the road to be fully open for the Bank Holiday week end.
I find it increasingly hard to go all day without a break, I am tired out although have done no manual work at all.  Still we carry on.
Finally for now, the top 2 photos show my garden still in some sort of bloom, not quite as good as it was but does show the colours of the flowers  mainly polyanthus. More soon.

Improvement

With regards to my hand there has been some improvement, so much so that yesterday I decided to write again on my blog. This was not to be.
 I went or should I really say, I tried to go online yesterday sometime before 5.00pm. I could at once see I had no Internet connection. As I have had problems, quite a few in fact, I knew the obvious things to try before contacting my ISP. I did all of the things I would be told to do so I called them. There was a delay of 15 minutes the automated call informed me. After a few minutes I thought about my filter, although it was almost new I decided to change it for a brand new one.
 In doing this I had to disconnect so of course when I called them once more I again had to wait about 15 minutes.
 Eventually I was in touch with a Guy from Technical Services. Before he had chance to tell me what to do I informed him what I had done. He then told me that I had lost connection about 12.45pm. that day and they had no contact with my router. He asked me the usual questions about loose connections then asked me what my router was showing. It confirmed that there was no connection to the Internet so he asked me where the connection was I told him it was from a B.T point so he asked me if I could unscrew the cover. Now remember I have a bad hand, my right hand as it happens. My eyesight is very poor and I told him I would have to get my magnifying glass to assist me with what I was doing. Before that he asked me if I had a mobile phone because when I took the front cover off I would lose my telephone connection. I told him that I had a mobile but rarely used it. I turned it on and found I had a text message. I gave him my number and he rung me. I then proceeded to take to front cover off, with some sort of difficulty may I add but eventually I managed it. To me there was nothing there at all but when the Guy told me that there was another connection there. I must admit I hadn't noticed it but when he told me this I could see it and connected the router and computer, telephone connection etc. so we once more had the connection. I tried to see if my telephone was working, it was but the Guy asked me to hold on for a few minutes so that he could check to see what was happening. After a minute or so he let me know that there was no improvement and he would now contact Open Reach so as to make an appointment.
 It didn't take long for he was soon back talking to me saying that tomorrow morning between 8.00am. and 1.00pm. someone would be at my home to sort it out. He finally warned me that if B.T. found it was my fault there would be a call out charge of £50 +VAT.
 This morning soon after 8.00am. I had a phone call from Open Reach, he asked me a few questions then said to me that he was going to do a few tests and would than make his way to mine.
 Around 9.20am. I saw his van pull onto my drive. We passed pleasantries then he told me that the fault was not at my end but at the Exchange and he had already fixed the problem.
 He went on to explain how he was so quick. A colleague had the day before a call from a customer from my Village informing them that he had no connection so when I received the call from my Provider he immediately went to check and found that there was a fault at the exchange.
 He checked out the system thoroughly and then went and checked my Broadband speed. He finally used my telephone and informed me that all was once again perfect. He asked me if I would sign with my finger to say that he had arrived at the prescribed time and that he had completed the task to my satisfaction. I used my finger nail first but he told me to use my finger to sign. Mind you it was nothing like my signature but I was well satisfied with what he had done also he was efficient.
 He left me about 25 minutes later saying he had another job to go to.
 Finally for now, last night, because I had not sent my mate an e-mail he phoned me up. I was pleased he had because I told him I had no Internet connection but we made arrangements for me to go and pick him up on Wednesday. I did send him a short e-mail earlier today letting him know that I was once more online. More soon.

Hand injury

Last Friday around 4.00pm. I went up the garden carrying a couple of tools. Climbing over a small fence I suddenly felt a sharp acute pain of my right hand which was holding on to the rail for my balance is not so good. I naturally thought the initial pain would go but it didn't. It seemed as I had dislocated a finger because what  could see when I tried to see was the bone lifting but when I shoved it back the pain was not too bad.
 Needless to say the swelling got worse so I decided to get a bandage that I was given several years ago to hold in some varicose veins I have. This certainly helped and over the week end I gave it complete rest.
 Yesterday I tried to do some work but the discomfort was there so I had no alternative than to e-mail my mate informing him that it was not possible for me to go and pick him up, bring him to mine, then take hi back later after giving him a meal. I knew that it was impossible for me to drive well over 50 miles just to give him a break and a meal. With a bit of luck, next week will see me able to bring him here for a break.
 I had a call from him a few hours later checking to see if I was O.K. I told him  that it was not easy living alone and having the use of one hand only but I had no intention of going to the local Surgery just in case they sent me to Hospital. I was dreading having my hand in plaster of Paris.
 Today though, once more I have seen some improvement although my Postman friend had a look and informed me it was swollen but the pain is not there as long as I am careful and don't use it much. I went to see him as I hadn't seen him for a while. He told me that this morning there was a sharp frost, white all over at 6.00am. I told him I was up soon after 7.00am. and the frost had gone. Today though has been the warmest day so far although the breeze off the sea took the edge off the warm weather. Tomorrow is forecast to be mainly dull along the East Coast and it is expected to be cool. Nothing new there then as the Easterly wind is always cool along this Coast. More soon, hopefully.

Most unusual.

This time of day is most unusual for me to write here but today is somewhat different.
 My Best Pal called yesterday and bought me 3 Munstead Lavender plants. He also gave me the news that the Hardstoft Pink Lavender that his Wife, Daughter and Relatives had all died. This didn't surprise me for I had taken 3 cuttings a few years earlier and it looks as if all those too have died. They were called Hardstoft because his Daughter had a Herb Garden there. Incidentally she had appeared on T.V. with the late Geoff Hamilton on the BBC gardening programme.
 I had given his Wife a couple of names of Lavender I wished, the other being Hidcote, a more delicate Lavender which I do believe Gertrude Jekyll cultivated. I had seen a few plants for sale for at least £7.99p. each but yesterday morning I received the latest offers from a Mail Order Company which incidentally has a few Garden Centres also. On one of the pages were Hi9dcote Lavender 6 for £6.99p. Needless to say I have written my order so that I can post it on Tuesday when I go to Town. I also ordered some old fashioned Daffodils called King Alfred. They are the large trumpet variety. I told my Pal and he drooled over the thought, I guess we are growing old quicker than we realise.
 We had a turn round the garden, he noticed that I had lost many plants but commented on the Polyanthus, the variety of colours and just how many I had. He told me my Broad Beans looked good and in the polytunnel my New Potatoes are coming on nicely. I have 2 sorts this year, Foremost and my usual Arran Pilot. We had a quick look in the greenhouse and I showed him my Geraniums, some that I kept in there from last year and this years that I grew from seed. They definitely look much better than the one's I bought last year. He also noticed that I had set my Tomato plants, they are small but I think they will be O.K. now that is well into April. I did show him a couple of tubs of Potatoes I set in early February. They look good but if previous years are anything to go by, the yield is not as good as the tops suggest. Still we live in hopes.
 This morning I planted out my Lavender and also potted up a few Primula Auricula plants for his Wife, I hope they take because they are a pretty Polyanthus type of border plant, the leaves being nothing like Polyanthus. They are waxy and the roots are hard to describe but the easiest way to explain is that they are like fibrous roots of a young tree. Incidentally I have had them in my garden for several years. To be honest I haven't taken particular care of them, they don't like it to be too wet. Something that they have had plenty of here. More soon.

Haircut

I went to have my haircut this morning and the Barber informed me that on Friday he has to pay for his wedding which is in July around the 12th. He is going to be married and the honeymoon is in the West Indies. I think it is in Jamaica. He told me it is costing a fortune. Mind you he did say that all was included in the holiday that includes all the drinks are free.
I half expected the price of the haircut to be increased but it is still the same £4 to us Pensioners. I wouldn't grumble at a Fiver.
 These last few days I have been very busy. I hadn't seen the young Man from next door so on Monday I went out to see him get off the bus. I asked him if there was anything wrong but he assured me all was well. I then asked him why he hadn't been round to see his little bit of garden for over a wee. He was somewhat evasive. Just at that time the Lady of the Bungalow came round with 3 eggs. I told her it was just who I wished to see. I then explained that I have plenty of Broccoli and if she wished to have any I would get her some. She readily agreed that she would love some today so I told the young Man that he could come and get some for her.
 About 30 minutes later he came round, I then found out why he hadn't been round. They had given him several tasks including painting the pigeon lofts. Also he told me that they had badgers and he had to keep filling in where they had been scraping. Anyway he came round and thoroughly enjoyed the time he was here. I was surprised to see his carrots had just germinated . We then set some lettuce in pots also set some runner beans. He checked to see if the peas we set some time ago were showing. They were, we went and picked plenty of Broccoli and soon after he went and took the vegetables with him.
 My garden looks quite pleasant with lots of polyanthus of many various colours flowering well. My mate said he will give my camera one last chance, if he can't fix it, then nobody will be able to fix it. I guess it will be a cheap, no frills camera replacement for me. I certainly don't want a camera with lots of complicated options. More soon.

Holiday weather

Unfortunately anyone calling at the East Coast this Easter Break have been somewhat disappointed. Good Friday was cold with a little drizzle at times. Saturday stated out dull and cool but then there was a ray of hope. The sun shone but only for about 30 minutes then it was back to being dull and cool again. Sunday was similar but all of a sudden around 3.00pm. the sun shone and the temperature rose to about 11c. Monday was a little better, the sun came out at 2.00pm. and it was warmer. So much so that I decided to start to paint the exterior of my greenhouse. I managed to get just over half of it done when I called it a day. By the way I always use Sadolin Extra durable wood stain. I think it is the best.
 This morning the sun was shining before 7.30am. Typical I thought, most had gone back to work, I however decided to finish off the exterior of the greenhouse and to be honest the temperature was around 15c. By far the warmest day we have had so far this year.
 I finished off the exterior, to he candid, I haven't painted the greenhouse for 3 years or so. It certainly showed but with it being made of Cedar the wood  has not rotted at all.
 I am getting some broccoli now, unfortunately it will all come at once, such is life. It is nice though to go out in the garden and pick fresh vegetables. Mind you I have to keep the vegetables protected because of the wood pigeons. I swear they are getting larger as I get older, maybe I am feeding them too well.
 We will see what tomorrow brings weather wise, the forecast is not as good with more cloud and a breeze off the cold North Sea. More soon.