"At every step you make me digress;
today I do not know whither I am destined."
(Tagore)
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
End of summer
Whatever happened to the summer months? After a very promising late spring/early summer period of brilliant sunshine, July came in wet followed by an even wetter August. We had lunch in the garden yesterday, the first time since 11 July. I have been filled with sympathy for the holidaymakers (those Grockles who usually annoy me! ) as they spent hours in traffic queues trying to get to the few indoor activities the region provides. North Devon has beautiful sandy beaches and stunning countryside but only the hardiest like to spend their holidays in the rain.
So what have I been doing on these rainy days? The cupboards are full of jams and chutneys, the freezer packed with vegetables from the bounty of neighbours' gardens. Friends and family have benefited from the time I have spent in the kitchen:
Courgette (zucchini) teabread
tomato and cheese pinwheels
Italian cheese crackers I saw on TV on a wet afternoon
choc chip cookies, for the fun of it
I have finished a little sweater for grandson Benjamin - the first thing I have knitted for him, I'm ashamed to admit. I have lots of patterns for girls' sweaters but I will have to look out for more for boys.
I will be very glad when August comes to an end tonight. I want to put the miserable weather and gloomy news that August brought behind us: two very dear friends were diagnosed with breast cancer but the prognosis is promising and September will be sunny and warm and filled with optimism. All will be well and all manner of things will be well!
So, tomorrow we set off on holiday. Our plans have changed many times because of family circumstances but we have finally settled on a few days in Oxfordshire to see Adelephant and family, then a few days in the Peak District before we go to Yorkshire. We are staying in a variety of guest houses, one smart hotel and then a week in a farm cottage. I'm taking the camera and laptop with me so I'll try to keep you posted. It will be interesting to become someone else's grockles!
Just because I love it, here is the Eva Cassidy version of 'Who knows where the time goes?' Enjoy the end of summer.
Great choice of music, M, and have a truly relaxing and enjoyable break. You deserve it.
Speaking as one of the two friends mentioned in your post, my prognosis is even better than promising - it's complete recovery! So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that's it's a similar prognosis for your other friend. Mother Julian's words could not be more apt.
Rain! What is that! I can't remember. Once more you have gone into the household mode- cakes and knitting. What happened to the walking? (Rain shouldn't stop a Lancashire lass unless you've become soft sojourning in the South for so long!) Enjoy your break in the North and if the walking gets too much take your mobility scooter with you. Best wishes to all from the Aegean.
Anonymous brother, I think that someone who has retreated to an Aegean island to escape the British weather should not cast aspersions! Good isea about the mobility scooter, I'll see if I can borrow a trailer to put it on.
Great choice of music, M, and have a truly relaxing and enjoyable break. You deserve it.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking as one of the two friends mentioned in your post, my prognosis is even better than promising - it's complete recovery! So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that's it's a similar prognosis for your other friend. Mother Julian's words could not be more apt.
Rain! What is that! I can't remember. Once more you have gone into the household mode- cakes and knitting. What happened to the walking? (Rain shouldn't stop a Lancashire lass unless you've become soft sojourning in the South for so long!) Enjoy your break in the North and if the walking gets too much take your mobility scooter with you. Best wishes to all from the Aegean.
ReplyDeleteD, you know I'll be thinking of you while I'm away. I hope all goes well and look forward to seeing you when I get back.
ReplyDeleteMuch love, dear friend.
Anonymous brother, I think that someone who has retreated to an Aegean island to escape the British weather should not cast aspersions! Good isea about the mobility scooter, I'll see if I can borrow a trailer to put it on.
ReplyDeleteFor "isea" one could always read "idea."
ReplyDelete