Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Bits and Bobs

Aside

Have you time for a coffee? Do you mind if we have it in the kitchen? And no biscuits – right? We had our new lady gardener yesterday. I had to go out whilst she was here and I didn’t know whether to tell her what to do - I mean where do you start after months of neglect? In the end I left it to her and she worked hard in the uncertain weather and now I have some straight edges. She‘s an enthusiast and loves the privacy and the parking (she has an enormous van) in the garden, so I feel we are off to a good start. Oh and her husband is a builder – busy for the next 6 months but who knows?

I thought I was getting Malcolm’s frozen shoulder this morning and then I remembered that, after mopping the loos and cloakroom yesterday I pressed down so hard with the mop – wringing it out on the bucket, that the plastic broke, I toppled over and just managed to save myself from taking a purler*– hence the shoulder. So I have two reasons for not doing the kitchen today – sore shoulder and no bucket. Tee Hee!

I’m not sure when I’ll do my next episode because Friday I have my PCA’s fitted- yes I’m excited and nervous – and Saturday is yet another birthday. We are going to spend the night at the Luttrell Arms – they did MTL’s 80th so well – but this time it will be just the two of us.

One of my blogging friends – Carmi – he’s a Canadian – a very experienced writer and journalist, told me – no matter how busy I was, to do some of the project every day. Oh didn’t I tell you? Well you know I have been blogging about my life for the last two years? I am now trying to get the 89,000 words onto one document to see where it’s at. Thank goodness I learnt to copy and paste but it’s easy to make a mistake and it will be a long on-going job. Oh you know you were interested in the meanings of different flowers and I gave you some of them? Well here are the rest:

Arum lily – burning love.

Carnation – white – always remembering.

Carnation – red – I carry a torch for you.

Carnation-striped – Wish I were with you.

Carnation yellow – You have disappointed me.

Daffodil – The sun always shines when I’m with you.

Dahlia – You are indifferent

Foxglove – I cannot trust you.

Honey suckle –Devotion.

Hyacinth – Please forgive me.

Lily of the Valley –You are sweet and pure.

Magnolia – Have courage.

Marguerite – I live in hope.

Narcissus – You are selfish.

Orchid – You have cast a spell over me.

Passion Flower – Trust.

Peony – Bashfulness.

Pinks – You are bold.

Rose pink-Please believe me.

Rose white – You are divine.

Rose yellow – Come back soon

Stock – Lasting beauty.

Glad you popped in and look the sun’s out and the wind’s dropped. Bye!

*Fall.

17 comments:

Z said...

Hope all goes well with your new gardener - just the right time of the year to start as she should be able to keep on top of weeds as they come up.

No sign of the wind abating here yet, although the sun comes in and out. I don't think we've had it as bad over here as you in the West though.

I need to go out in the garden and rescue some things blowing away. Brr.

Pat said...

Z: 'as they come up' My dear they are risen already. The beds are a tangled web of wild strawberries - with their tentacles, every wild flower you can think of and lots of weeds interspersed with some great plants. But my edges are looking good and I'm heartened. Don't get cold!
We have a sun trap and MTL is making the most of it.

Anonymous said...

Just catching up with your PCA business; isn't that the silliest damned bit of coverup? A hearing aid is a hearing aid -- who would know what a PCA is, if not explained.

Our local hearing aid man fitted me out with a neat and unobtrusive little thing about six weeks ago and said "Try it out for 2-3 weeks. The manufacturers encourage free trial." So I did. My hearing ability fell off with the upper tones (female voices harder to hear than male). It improved my hearing all right but I decided to leave it for another year anyway. One takes it out at night and removes the battery; the battery must be changed weekly; and I thought why bother if I can get away without it.
Good luck with it, Pat.

Anonymous said...

So does Spring always bring 80 mph gales for you, dear. Glad you're safe though.

Cheers.

kenju said...

I think we have to work to change the meaning of foxglove. It is one of my favorites!!

Zinnia Cyclamen said...

Zinnia: thoughts of friends
Cyclamen: resignation, goodbye
Hence my blogname!
Best of luck for Friday.

Anonymous said...

How strange that the Passion flower means trust.

Thanks for posting these, Pat.

OldHorsetailSnake said...

Camphor -- You stink.

Pat said...

Jack: that's interesting. I suppose it's a question of how much one is getting away with. I am missing too much and am too ornery to put up with it if I don't have to. It must be nice to know it works for you.

Randall: not as a rule. It's this global warming you know.

Judy: well it sure doesn't apply to you.

Zinnia: that gave me quite a shock- I thought you were leaving.

Sam: I suppose if you think of Jesus and the Passion - he trusted all his disciples - until one betrayed him.

Hoss: how dare you! I have never been so insulted in all my life:)

Eryl Shields said...

Oh to have a gardener! I quite like doing the tidying and digging, it makes me feel fit and a bit younger, but everything I plant dies. This is why my garden is filled with old bicycles, cupboards and tables, I have to have something lasting in it.

Thanks for all the flower meanings: now I know these things I'm going to have great fun making arrangements.

Nea said...

Many Happy Returns and enjoy your stay in Dunster.

Rob Windstrel Watson said...

Pat, have a great time at the Luttrell Arms. It's a fine hostelry :-)

Our lady gardener (K) gives my wife so much pleasure because she is so knowledgeable and can really advise about options.

Talking and planning with a real expert is as important as the physical work she does.

Pat said...

Eryl: you are a scream. I remember being a little taken aback when I saw one of your photographs.

Nea: thank you honey.

Rob: oh my goodness! Are we talking about the same K? I am really looking forward to time with mine.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Pat My Dear, I cannot believe I have missed so very many days here...(What have I been doing?? I don't know!!)
I think my favorite Flower Meaning is The Orchid! I LOVE THAT!
The "Gardener Lady sounds great, by the way....

I love that you are gathering all of your "memory" posts together.....In fact, I might just do the same, though mine jump all over the place...But I think it is GREAT that you are doing this.

Pat said...

Naomi: re the lady gardener - it looks as if Rob has the same gardener. Fortunately I think she's smashing but I'll have to be careful:) I'm really enjoying getting the story on one document. I have completed the first year and am editing that before doing the second year. Karmi's - do a bit every day - was excellent advice. Your turn now.

Rob Windstrel Watson said...

Our K. is called Karen and she is a wonderful gardener who lives in Minehead.

I'd recommend her to anyone.

She is enthusiastic, immensely knowledgeable and really hard working in all weathers.

If she is your gardener too, I'm sure she will do a great job :-)

Pat said...

Rob: sounds like we have both been extrememely lucky:)