Boot camp

morning strimmingYep I’m on the naughty step again. relegated to way beyond trainee in the peasant stakes.  Not only did I come up at 1030am after a heavy session of strimming, but I had the temerity  to get rid of my work clothes, have a long cool shower. and then change. into a t shirt and skirt.  And sandals. Wimp.

But it’s hot work taming the jungle out there. But at least the strimmer is working brilliantly again (spark plug needed cleaning) and I was able to get three hours of thwacking done.

I was so covered in nettle goo after that time I really couldn’t continue.  I’m working on the lower terraces which were cleared and strimmed this winter. nettle goo

And now of course, the nettles and brambles are trying to take over again. so if we keep strimming it should work.  At least it was cool down under the oak trees this morning.  And I held off until 8am just to be neighbourly.  The sound does reverberate around the mountains.

Actually I was on hold with France Telecom for ages before that: huge storms last night and our ailing internet supply gave up.  So being adept at speaking to a talking automatum and giving the right key words – internet, useless, get me a human – I was through.

Bless them. they even asked if we had a door code so the engineer could get into our building tomorrow. I didn’t say we are in the middle of nowhere and I’ll see the truck coming a mile off thanks.  The line was too crackly to do jokes.

So strimming. tick off the list. I need to get the energy to go down and rake all my strimmings. I love using them as a mulch.  Actually, I have the energy, it’s just so much cooler here indoors typing, even if I don’t have any  way to connect to the internet and post the news.

I need to go up to the potting shed and see Artur.artur on rock

He is such a clever cat; I mean really clever. He kept at me most of yesterday for hugs and cuddles and by late afternoon I finally worked out why.  In his winsome and sweet way he was trying to say – scratch under my chin you dummy, I can’t get the tick off on my own – so I did, found it and removed it. and the cat didn’t even try and scatch me while I was completing the operation.

He is a smart animal. No one else can groom him and he can’t reach some spots. so I’m of use.  Naturally as soon as the tick was off, so was the cat.  But I feel I’ve done a good deed, even if I get a swish of the tail as thanks.