Sunday
With it being a sunny day, I thought I'd better make a start on tackling the garden, as some things are in severe need of a trim. I'd lost my old secateurs last autumn, otherwise I'd have been out clipping things earlier. I did a search on ebay the other week and found another rachet-action pair that are almost identical to the ones I lost - just green instead of yellow.
So I trimmed back the large honeysuckle that climbs over the gatepost. It needs to be kept under control on the entrance side anyway, as otherwise it's a nuisance to people approaching the front door. It's well-established and quite woody in places, so I gave the whole thing a fairly thorough cut back, even though new leaves are coming out. I'm sure it will recover and grow new shoots, and I think it only flowers on the new growth anyway.
After that, I attacked the Great White Hebe, which has been getting ideas above its station. It's now taller than I am and probably cuts down on the light getting into the bay window of flat 1 (which is currently empty). I'm going to be fairly ruthless with it, which is likely to mean having some unattractive bare branches in the middle of the front garden until it regrows. It looks very untidy at the moment, as I've hacked back one side so far, where it was smothering the astilbes. By the time I'd done that, even with a short break sitting on the wall, I was too tired to do more. It was about an hour until D&D, and I still had to take laundry from the machine and hang it up, and prepare tea to take with me. In the event, I lay down and napped for half an hour, sorted the laundry and took a frozen ready meal to heat up in the microwave in Chris' games room.
I shall tackle the rest of the Great White Hebe during the week, depending on the weather, and energy levels. I also want to cut back the purple hebe which grew up through the concrete near the front door. Thurs (or Friday, depending on the weather) there will be more plants. I'm meeting Ven at the Botanical Gardens for a wander, and to admire the spring bulbs.
There will be changes at D&D soon. A couple of weeks ago, Jill announced that she'd got a job at a museum in Southampton, so will be moving down south. This is where her mother lives, and Jill wants to be nearer her - her mother is elderly, though I don't know her overall state of health etc, but Jill would rather be close at hand for her. She's actually going this Friday, staying in a B&B for a couple of weeks while looking for a flat to rent, and her house in Sheffield will go on the market later on. So one player gone from the regular group.
We roleplay in Chris's attic, which is a dedicated games room, with large table, chairs, shelves for 30+ years of several people's gaming paraphenalia, tea point, microwave, plates and cutlery, assorted random toys, litter tray for visiting cats, coat stand, fan etc. The attic has dormer windows front and back, and Chris is now going ahead with plans to build a balcony extension at the back of the house. The rear dormer will be transformed into a doorway leading to a balcony projecting from the roof, with views out to the east and south. he lives near the top of Walkley, so the views from his attic are pretty good. Work starts at the end of the month, and it should be pretty good when it's done. We just have to decide where we're roleplaying in the meantime.
So I trimmed back the large honeysuckle that climbs over the gatepost. It needs to be kept under control on the entrance side anyway, as otherwise it's a nuisance to people approaching the front door. It's well-established and quite woody in places, so I gave the whole thing a fairly thorough cut back, even though new leaves are coming out. I'm sure it will recover and grow new shoots, and I think it only flowers on the new growth anyway.
After that, I attacked the Great White Hebe, which has been getting ideas above its station. It's now taller than I am and probably cuts down on the light getting into the bay window of flat 1 (which is currently empty). I'm going to be fairly ruthless with it, which is likely to mean having some unattractive bare branches in the middle of the front garden until it regrows. It looks very untidy at the moment, as I've hacked back one side so far, where it was smothering the astilbes. By the time I'd done that, even with a short break sitting on the wall, I was too tired to do more. It was about an hour until D&D, and I still had to take laundry from the machine and hang it up, and prepare tea to take with me. In the event, I lay down and napped for half an hour, sorted the laundry and took a frozen ready meal to heat up in the microwave in Chris' games room.
I shall tackle the rest of the Great White Hebe during the week, depending on the weather, and energy levels. I also want to cut back the purple hebe which grew up through the concrete near the front door. Thurs (or Friday, depending on the weather) there will be more plants. I'm meeting Ven at the Botanical Gardens for a wander, and to admire the spring bulbs.
There will be changes at D&D soon. A couple of weeks ago, Jill announced that she'd got a job at a museum in Southampton, so will be moving down south. This is where her mother lives, and Jill wants to be nearer her - her mother is elderly, though I don't know her overall state of health etc, but Jill would rather be close at hand for her. She's actually going this Friday, staying in a B&B for a couple of weeks while looking for a flat to rent, and her house in Sheffield will go on the market later on. So one player gone from the regular group.
We roleplay in Chris's attic, which is a dedicated games room, with large table, chairs, shelves for 30+ years of several people's gaming paraphenalia, tea point, microwave, plates and cutlery, assorted random toys, litter tray for visiting cats, coat stand, fan etc. The attic has dormer windows front and back, and Chris is now going ahead with plans to build a balcony extension at the back of the house. The rear dormer will be transformed into a doorway leading to a balcony projecting from the roof, with views out to the east and south. he lives near the top of Walkley, so the views from his attic are pretty good. Work starts at the end of the month, and it should be pretty good when it's done. We just have to decide where we're roleplaying in the meantime.