Double jabbed and ducklings!
I got my second vaccination on Thursday and in less than two weeks should be at least a bit protected from whatever Covid decides to throw at us next (Indian variant heading our way). Unfortunately J doesn't get his second jab for just over a week so even if we felt inclined to go out and frolic on Monday we won't be. I now have my vaccine card completely filled in and was given the usual dire warnings not to lose it, which were rather undercut by the very jolly young nurse who jabbed me saying that all her friends had taken photos of theirs but she'd managed to lose her card on the first day. My name is, of course, spelled wrongly on it but no-one thought it was worth changing, apart from me. It was all as well-organised and cheerful as last time and on the way back I finally managed to notice the blue plaque on Arthur Conan Doyle's old house which I had missed every time I'd walked past it before.
After the first jab I felt as if I had been run over by a steam roller but felt absolutely fine yesterday so we went for a nice walk to the local woodland garden.
Behind the cut for what we found there.
I thought it would be too late for the tulips but they were still out in force
We heard a quack from the pond behind us and found a duck and first one, then two, then three and, eventually four ducklings.
It's still a little early for the rhododendrons, but some were out.
The camellia on the left had masses of blooms still left on it but was nearly managing to cover the path with fallen petals.
Lovely bloom.
On the way back the duck had tempted all four ducklings into the water.
I'm pretty sure two years ago I would not have got quite so excited at the sight of little fluffy ducklings, adorable though they are.
Other excitements this week included watching a talk on the history of cheese from the British Library while busy nibbling cheese ourselves ("What did you do in the Pandemic, Auntie?" "I ate a lot of cheese."). It was very interesting as they talked about how archaeological evidence shows cheese was made very early and a simple goats' cheese is likely to be closest to an early cheese, the role of the monasteries in cheese making, women cheese makers, and the renaissance of British cheese making in the last 30 or so years. Apparently, one distinguished cheese maker when asked what she put that down to replied "The Good Life" as the sitcom had raised awareness of organic food. There were other reasons but that one amused me.
Back to the meme.
10. Out of everyone you know, who has the most heart?
That's a little hard to answer. Do I say J who checks Rex is Ok more than I do? Do I say Lisa, my Pilates teacher, who keeps all of us sane, while looking after her elderly father and her son and his family? Do I say friend T who has to deal with her "batty sister-in-law" because the rest of the family are too far away? Do I say C who supervises her elderly parents, helps out both daughters who have had babies within weeks of each other, while working in a vaccination clinic because she is a retired GP? I think lots of people I know have had lots of "heart" this last year so I can't pick.
11. How many beings live in your house?
Two humans, probably a large number of insects and mice pop up every now and again.
12. How many cars have you ever owned?
One.
13. Can you do math in your head well?
I can do no kind of maths well but I can usually add up reasonably.
14. Does your house have air conditioning throughout, or do you have one that sits in your window?
I'm in the UK where most domestic houses don't have air conditioning. If it's really hot in the summer we have a couple of fans and open the windows. Up until the last few years air conditioning really wasn't necessary here and even with our hotter summers now it wouldn't be needed for much more than a couple of weeks.
15. What’s your least favorite chore to do around the house?
Cleaning the oven, which is the reason I delegated it to J after he spilled a load of oil in our oven. I've never taken the job back.
The rest of the May questions are behind the cut.
16. What’s your favorite flavor of potato chips?
17. Do you ever read the weather forecast?
18. Do amusement park rides make you sick?
19. What kind of cheese do you put on your sandwiches?
20. How old were you when you got your driver’s license?
21. Do you have any bumper stickers on your car?
22. How many jobs have you had?
23. What’s your favorite kind of soup?
24. Do you still have your wisdom teeth?
25. Did you have a swing set in your yard when you were a child?
26. What was your favorite book you had to read for school?
27. Last wedding attended?
28. How long was your longest drive in a car?
29. Do you frequent social media more or less now?
30. What is something that never fails to make you feel accomplished?
31. What kind of cake did you have for your last birthday?
After the first jab I felt as if I had been run over by a steam roller but felt absolutely fine yesterday so we went for a nice walk to the local woodland garden.
Behind the cut for what we found there.
I thought it would be too late for the tulips but they were still out in force
We heard a quack from the pond behind us and found a duck and first one, then two, then three and, eventually four ducklings.
It's still a little early for the rhododendrons, but some were out.
The camellia on the left had masses of blooms still left on it but was nearly managing to cover the path with fallen petals.
Lovely bloom.
On the way back the duck had tempted all four ducklings into the water.
I'm pretty sure two years ago I would not have got quite so excited at the sight of little fluffy ducklings, adorable though they are.
Other excitements this week included watching a talk on the history of cheese from the British Library while busy nibbling cheese ourselves ("What did you do in the Pandemic, Auntie?" "I ate a lot of cheese."). It was very interesting as they talked about how archaeological evidence shows cheese was made very early and a simple goats' cheese is likely to be closest to an early cheese, the role of the monasteries in cheese making, women cheese makers, and the renaissance of British cheese making in the last 30 or so years. Apparently, one distinguished cheese maker when asked what she put that down to replied "The Good Life" as the sitcom had raised awareness of organic food. There were other reasons but that one amused me.
Back to the meme.
10. Out of everyone you know, who has the most heart?
That's a little hard to answer. Do I say J who checks Rex is Ok more than I do? Do I say Lisa, my Pilates teacher, who keeps all of us sane, while looking after her elderly father and her son and his family? Do I say friend T who has to deal with her "batty sister-in-law" because the rest of the family are too far away? Do I say C who supervises her elderly parents, helps out both daughters who have had babies within weeks of each other, while working in a vaccination clinic because she is a retired GP? I think lots of people I know have had lots of "heart" this last year so I can't pick.
11. How many beings live in your house?
Two humans, probably a large number of insects and mice pop up every now and again.
12. How many cars have you ever owned?
One.
13. Can you do math in your head well?
I can do no kind of maths well but I can usually add up reasonably.
14. Does your house have air conditioning throughout, or do you have one that sits in your window?
I'm in the UK where most domestic houses don't have air conditioning. If it's really hot in the summer we have a couple of fans and open the windows. Up until the last few years air conditioning really wasn't necessary here and even with our hotter summers now it wouldn't be needed for much more than a couple of weeks.
15. What’s your least favorite chore to do around the house?
Cleaning the oven, which is the reason I delegated it to J after he spilled a load of oil in our oven. I've never taken the job back.
The rest of the May questions are behind the cut.
16. What’s your favorite flavor of potato chips?
17. Do you ever read the weather forecast?
18. Do amusement park rides make you sick?
19. What kind of cheese do you put on your sandwiches?
20. How old were you when you got your driver’s license?
21. Do you have any bumper stickers on your car?
22. How many jobs have you had?
23. What’s your favorite kind of soup?
24. Do you still have your wisdom teeth?
25. Did you have a swing set in your yard when you were a child?
26. What was your favorite book you had to read for school?
27. Last wedding attended?
28. How long was your longest drive in a car?
29. Do you frequent social media more or less now?
30. What is something that never fails to make you feel accomplished?
31. What kind of cake did you have for your last birthday?