No one had died *yet* this month, though I suspect it's early days. When the hospital says "nothing more we can do" that's pretty clear code for "send her to the nursing home to die ( Read more... )

Rest in peace, Peanut. You were a grand, lovely cat.

Rest in peace, Aunt B. You were a lovely person.

Happy birthday to me. It's a bad one (ends with a zero) but I'm at the point now where a birthday is not "one year older :(" but rather "one year closer to retirement!"

Garden dug over and the first seedlings -- tomato, courgette and cucumber -- put out. Bean and pea seeds planted. The apple trees didn't flower much and aren't setting fruit, as far as I can see, but the pears and peaches appear to be doing splendidly, so we should get good harvests this year.

Got my second COVID jab. Just in time, really, given that we've got delta in the community.

I am in awe of my PhD student. She carried out her thesis project in less than four years, inventing a bunch of seriously cool stuff in the process, even though many things got delayed during the months of lockdown last year. Yesterday, despite being on the other side of the planet in her home country, and despite having COVID herself, and ( Read more... )

Honestly, if I get through this month without killing myself or anyone else, it'll be the most positive thing I'll achieve ( Read more... )

Had my flu jab.

It's May, and it's Mother's Day this week ( Read more... )

Tomato plants out, cauliflowers in. Prune and shape the fruit trees. Over a long weekend, the garden gets totally transformed.