April time

It has been a funny old month. I should have had loads to blog about and actually yes it has been a busy month but each time I have thought about blogging I either haven’t had the time or I just couldn’t decide what to write. Have I missed it yes I have but maybe not enough. Or perhaps I was just feeling weary in general.

There have been birthdays, his, mine and hers. There has been illness, mine and his. There has been family, mostly mine. There has even been the eventual appearance of spring. Bird feeding to organise and watch. Seeds to be planted and nurtured.

There have been long distance conversations isn’t technology a wonderful thing. There have been celebrations and confrontations (quickly followed by making up).

Yesterday we visited our beach retreat and walked along the beach in bright sunshine although the wind was quite strong. We both felt uplifted, as we always do when we go down there. There is something about being near water that soothes the soul. My face is now flushed from the sun and wind.

Today we went for another walk. This time our local country park just a few minutes from our home. It was about time we had a proper explore of this place so close to us.

Now I am going to take you on our walk.first stop was at this tree carving which can be seen from the road. I drive past this work in progress every day. It has been interesting to watch it evolve over the months.We had a chat with the chainsaw artist.Before we set off for our walk proper. These very late daffodils looked remarkably fresh for late april.This magnificent tree would be great as the focus of one of my childrens stories.I took this view while Owl stopped to chat to some of the fishermen/boys at great length.I love seeing the wild life, I wasn’t quick enough to get a photo of the tiny bluetit. There was pair of swans nesting on an island in the lake.Heading away from the lakemore wood carvingson our way out of the park drat I forgot to take a picture of the incredibly bright red rhododendrons that we saw.

Now we are going for an early Sunday evening drink at our favourite pub. I shall be back in an hour or so.

Cards

It should be simple.

I have two bank accounts one for paying my bills and one for food, fuel and anything else I want to spend on. I have a debit card for each account. One of these cards was due to expire at the end of march. According to the bank a new card should be sent out a month before the old one expires. Nothing arrived.

On the first of march we got married, so I needed to change my name on my bank accounts.  I finally managed to make an appointment and spent an hour with a personal bank adviser. My name was changed on my account but I would still have to change it on my online banking. Two new personalised bank cards were ordered.

By the end of March there was no sign of my new cards. Not the replacement card with my old name or my two new cards in my new name. A visit to my bank revealed that my bank cards had been sent to my old address. A new set of cards were ordered which would be with me by Wednesday (it was Saturday at the time).

I was excited to be getting my new cards on Wednesday but they didn’t arrive, nor did they turn up on Thursday, Friday or even Saturday. Another visit to branch it was agreed that I would wait a few more days. A check was done to see that the cards had been issued and were being sent to the correct address.  By Thursday I still didn’t have my new cards a week after they should have arrived. This time I phoned the branch.

The cards that I had been waiting for were cancelled and yet more ordered. They should arrive on Saturday or Monday. Did I believe they would arrive, well maybe it would be fair to say that I was not convinced but what could I do other than wait. On Friday evening I invited my husband out for dinner. (At our favourite pub along with live music). When I attempted to pay my card was declined. This was my only remaining working bank card. My only access to my money. I had not had any problems using it (even with my old name) until now. Luckily Owl had some cash with him and we were able to pay our bill.

So yet another visit to branch on Saturday morning to learn that when my new non arriving cards were cancelled so was the card I had been using. I would have to manage without any cards until I received the new ones. The cashier helpfully gave me the last digits of the cards I was waiting for so that when I did finally receive them I could be sure that they were the right ones not the cancelled ones.

It was Wednesday (more than a full month since the first cards had been ordered) when to my huge relief the much awaited envelope  containing two bank cards arrived.  At last I could go shopping with my new bank cards with my new married name on them. Even so when I got to the checkout with my groceries I still held my breath waiting to see if my card would work.

Phew we could now eat again.

Tired

I am tired, very tired in fact. I have been poorly, so poorly that when I went back to the office on Tuesday after our long Easter weekend I got sent home. I didn’t return to work until Friday. I felt that having managed 4 hours sleep I was nearly back to being human. So would attempt to pretend that I do still belong to the human race. I arrived at the office at approximately 7.45am and by 8.30 was wishing it was nearly time to go home. I only recall 2 or 3 times when I nearly fell asleep at my desk.

Now it is Sunday morning I have been up for 2 hours, my mind is full of things I want/need to do today, the sun is shining again, could this be the start of spring (two consecutive days of blue skies and sunshine). Yet my body is trying to go back to sleep.

Now my dilemma is do I soldier on and feel shattered later or do I give in to my need for sleep and miss half the day?

funny shades of grey

When I got home from work today I noticed that there was a small package plus a couple of cards (unopened) on the shelf in the hall. All were addressed to Owl, which in itself was no surprise as he will be doing his best to avoid gaining a new age on Monday. He told me that he thought the package was from me, but no although I have ordered  a thing or two for the occasion my purchases will be delivered to the office.

Now intrigued he rushed off to retrieve the small parcel. pulling apart the cardboard covering it revealed a book. I noticed that the accompanying slip advised that this was a gift from his sister. But why I asked had she sent him this book of all books.

“Because I told her”

“You told your sister that you wanted this book……why?”

I know that last summer and autumn everyone was talking about this book. The front cover proclaimed that it was…Erotica for the not-too-modern male. I had seen the book on the shelves many times last year but didn’t remember the cover being quite like this.

It took a moment to realise what we were seeing.

Owl opened up the book and read a few lines before laughing and closing the book. But every time he replaced the book he had to pick it up again to read more extracts. Eventually he had to give up as he was laughing so much that tears were splashing onto the floor tiles.

Here are a few extracts for you………

Without a word, she grasped me firmly by the hand and led me up the garden path.

‘Put on this rubber suit and mask,’ I instructed calmly.  ‘Mmmmm…..Kinky,’ she purred.

She knelt before me on the shed floor and tugged gently at first, then harder until finally it came. I moaned with pleasure. Now for the other boot…..

His sister had done him proud, this book is very clever and very funny.

This wasn’t the book I had first thought it to be

In a few days it will be Owl’s birthday and his sister knows that I have bought him a new shed. So this book is very apt.

We have discussed many times whether we should read that other book that I had at first thought this to be, however I think this book will satisfy our imagination and humour far better.