Family and friends

First of all, Sue in Suffolk asked for the link to the eye test I did, so HERE IT IS.  It is 100 pictures long though, as they count each picture as a percentage.  It made my eyes tired by the end.

I had a lovely visit from Tam and Rosie yesterday and they took me for a quick next week top-up shop in Tesco.  I will confess that I got a bigger tub of ice cream!  The Kelly's Cornish Honeycomb ice cream was on a special offer and I had several spoonfuls last night with strawberries.  Still failed on the cheese though - no Edam, no plain Wensleydale or Caerphilly on offer.  As long as you want 3 dozen different brands of Cheddar though, you're OK.  Rosie was a delight but a busy bee now, toddling about and walking the length of the room!

The shop with the fabrics in which I pictured yesterday, was Booths in Hay-on-Wye.   Primarily a huge bookshop but its crafts end seems to be expanding which is great by me.  It's nice to browse, though none of the crafts books was that tempting this time.  

It was nice to wander round my favourite town, and have a word with friends.  I see the shop of one of them has now been taken over by someone else, and the interesting antiques and studio pottery have gone, and replaced by this.

I liked the china with the hares on and thought it might be Emma Bridgwater but picked up a mug and no stamp on the bottom and it felt light and breakable.  

An interesting little corner.  I don't know if this shop will "make it" as I think rents are high and winter is dead in Hay, apart from market day when it livens up a bit.  People seem to think Hay is THE place to sell but tbh, it's a bit like smoke and mirrors.  The shops all have a very good look but prices are high here and times are hard.

Well, I did a load of housework and tidying before Tam came - including another frontal lobotomy on the Dyson, which keeps blocking up. I can rest on my laurels for a couple of days now.  I had to have a big tidy up in the living room before Rosie arrived, so books have been tidied away and all my sewing stuff removed! 

My friend Pam came round with plants for me just before Tam left.  I have two clumps copper grasses, a big clump of pink hardy Geranium, some Dahlia tubers, and lots of Rudbeckia, which will go at the back of the bank as it is tall and spreads.  We had a good natter and watched a couple of Monty Don's Big Dreams, Small Spaces programmes on Youtube.  She went home with a pile of my gardening magazines to get ideas for her garden from.  

I had another 3 or 4 hours out in the garden on Saturday, (oh my aching back!) and dug through all the chippings by the low wall, to remove dozens and dozens of wild strawberries.  They spread so and these plants weren't as pickable as the ones up on the bank.  It looks much tidier now.  I also weeded about 6 feet of the long border.  Plus potting on well-grown small Rose Campions I overwintered in the greenhouse and gave Pam some when she came.  We plan to visit local gardens open to the public this spring and summer under the Powys National Garden Scheme.  

Right. nearly 5 a.m. now.  I'm down because I got too hot in bed so the winter duck down duvet will have to be changed for the summer one today.  I will probably have to walk into town and back today as Boots have informed me that my prescription is ready. Gardening on the agenda too of course. I need to start some more seeds and plant some of Pam's donations, grass-weed on the bank and put down cardboard and bark chippings.

Sarah in Sussex, haven't heard from you for a while.  I hope you and S are OK.  Or are you on holiday - I know you had one planned?