Monday! You didn't chase the sun away! It's still here! And round our way, that's something to celebrate.
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| What I'm reading this week |
I can't quite get away with calling it a "first". I'm pretty sure we had a water shortage once, in 1976 - when it was sunny all summer long and I think I wore shorts - but it's certainly an unusual turn of events. We've had a full week of weather warm enough to actively be enjoyed. I went out into the garden. I did a lot of weeding. I ended up with sunburn on the bit of arm which sticks out of my shirt. My wrist, that's it. I have sunburned wrists; and I've always believed that to be a meteorological impossibility here. So that was a first.
And it led to one more, which needs a little back story. We have here a three bin system: black for household rubbish, blue for recycling and brown for garden waste. When we moved in here we ordered a shed, piled everything we could into it, and then stood sadly on the path, looking at the rest. It felt like it was about to snow, so I agreed that the leftovers could be hidden in the brown bin for the moment, because the brown bin isn't collected in the winter. It was a temporary solution. That was over ten years ago. For ten years I have had a brown bin full of hammock bits and the world's largest collection of cracked flowerpots. It sounds so ridiculous I can hardly believe I'm admitting it. But no longer! I grew firm in my determination under our blazing sun and I insisted. The flowerpots were sorted, the hammock was fed into the shed...
...and I put my grass clippings where they belong. Any minute now the bin men will take them away: a small "first", you are right, but sweet nonetheless.
For something bigger I turned to my new guide book. We have decided! We wanted to get it booked before our boy left today for six weeks back in Scotland doing Lawyer-ly stuff. So, for the first time, we are going to Germany, to Berlin, later in the summer. I expect there'll be a story or four to come out of that, so I'm making a note:
I wrote with this one today. But I'll have to find another. A pencil with a decent lead I can sharpen to a fine point? Almost impossible to lay my hands on. Where are they all? Maybe I'll have discovered a good source by next Monday.
How about you? Anything you did for the first time? Anything you learned that you didn't know before? Maybe it's time to make a Memorandum. On Monday.
We have Melissa, Deb, Helena, Eileen, Mary-Lou, Susanne, Maggie, Mitra, Krafty Karen, Ladkyis and Fiona to thank for last week's notes. Go on: give 'em a wave! And have a good week!
16 comments:
Berlin sounds good! I do a lot of gardening in the evening when it is cooler. The result? Midge bites along my lower back .... Ouch. I am so relieved that with living on a farm we don't have to use a garden waste bin. It all heads straight to the muck heap. Well actually I fill up the wheel barrow that daughter uses for her horse and duck out the way when she comes to muck out her horse and finds it full!
It's a good thing you sorted out that brown bin of 10 years accumulation!! Otherwise---by my most recent discovery---you would have been on the road to hoarding!! We, too, are going to Germany in August. We won't be seeing Berlin this trip as we're taking a cruise down the Danube. That will be a first for me---Germany that is!
10 years of storing hammock bits in the brown bin? I', thinking that you could probably do without the hammock ...
Berlin? My favourite European city, although I haven't been to all of Europe's cities and it's been a few years, but still. You'll love it! Plenty of history (good and the (very) bad) and beer!
oh yes the stop gaps that last for years ! Berlin sounds itneresting - I look forward to seeing it through your eyes - have a good week
I've never been to Berlin but my son has and he loved it. Lots of 'quirky' places to find and certainly a lot of history there. I think it will be an interesting place in which to spend a few days.
Sunburnt wrists eh? Who'd have thought it was possible? Sounds like Ireland and Scotland won the battle of the sunshine this half term. We were away but rumour has it that the weather here was atrocious!
Quite a loud out chuckle on my part for 10 years of hidden treasures in the recycle bin. I wonder if the bin folks will pause at the newness of this. Sun burnt wrists, I am sure that could be painful. I am not nor have ever been a sunbather & you usually find me covered even in the midst of 40+(c) temperatures. Sun in moderation is good.
Berlin sounds like an interesting choice. Oh yes I am looking forward to those scrap pages.
A lovely French lady I follow on Instagram has just spent 4 days in Berlin and shared her photos with us, it's truly been a joy.
Now about the weather, I met a chap today while walking the Bears ... He was walking his dog and we got chatting about the lovely week he'd just had in Ireland. He made me laugh as he said all the people he met there were so shocked that it had stayed nice for more than a day or two lol xxx
Glad you got that bin sorted. Better late than never! Come to Oz. We'll give you more than sunburnt wrists. Hope by the time you do Germany the floods are gone. We can give them to you too if you like;)!!!!
I spent some time weeding and mulching this weekend, and although there was no sunburn, there were some sore muscles---as always. There's lots more to do, and it looks like a cooler, sunnier week so I'm hoping to get back out there. I was only in Germany once, for just a day, and it's one the bucket list, but a ways down, I must admit. Looking forward to seeing and hearing about your adventures there.
Glad to hear that you are getting some sunshine. It was super hot here today and I am happy to hide away from it all. Very exciting to go to Germany. Great that you can use your organics bin now. We fill ours almost weekly and sometimes even get a yellow star sticker on it thanking us for using the program. Ha Ha Like back in elementary school. Looking for gold stars!
So we've both been holiday planning - Mr P is off to Berlin for the first time at the end of the summer.
I remember the summer of 76 very well - my Dad was a mainlayer for the local water company so they worked round the clock fixing all leaks and setting up standpipes - we hardly saw him that summer.
Well done on putting your bin back into use again - we have three bins here too - anymore and we will need a bigger garden.
Have a great week and hope the good weather continues for you.
Berlin is also on my list, on my long list...but it is there.
England is my number one and it is happening this summer ;)
Thank your for this lovely post Sian!
Yeah on the brown bin and getting things sorted. Berlin was where Wookie & I celebrated our 10th anniversary. Wookie had worked there and came home saying he'd love to live there. Pesky homeschooling laws made that unlikely...
Have a wonderful time.
Glad you have decided on your summer adventure.....I am going on a four day break to Milan at the end of September- somewhere I've never been (actually, I've been nowhere in Italy)!! Xx
Hooray for sunny days! I bet Berlin is a fantastic place to visit, I'm already looking forward to hearing your plans for your visit and then seeing how your holiday goes :)
Your bin story made me smile! Berlin sounds a fantastic place to visit - you'll be needing a phrase book to go with that guide book, then. Lovely that the Lawyer In The Making wants to go with you. My son was most put out when we went on holiday without him when he was 23!
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