A fence post, or two, that made me smile

Yes, you did read that right - and I think once you see them you’ll probably agree with me. Or you’ll think I’m completely bonkers. And if you do, I’d like to point out that I only photographed them. I’m not sure of their purpose - other than to perhaps brighten up some raised beds, and raise a smile or two. I’d love to know more about them, and who decorated, what look like fence posts.

Very nice fence posts. Now. Some with messages.

Love your garden.

Sundowners

Fifty shades of summer.

Gone to the beach.

All great messages, and all very uplifting. My favourites are the ones on the left of the photo below, especially the one with the pale background and various flowers.

Though it seems when I was there I was more taken with the beds on the right, as I’ve many more photos of those.

But they made me smile, and I hope they’ve made you smile too!

Reflecting on my week #143

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve written a weekly update post, mostly because not much had been happening, well apart from work and they started to feel a little same-y. Then the week before last we went away, and while it wasn’t comparable to a pre-Covid break, it was our first proper break since March.

And it was good, to get away. To stay somewhere we knew, yet was completely new to us. We were lucky with the timing given London’s move to Tier 2, and luckier still that we didn’t chose November for a break.

That week was far from same-y and yet there was still no post. I’ve no idea why, maybe it was enjoying time away from my screen, maybe something else, maybe a way of dealing with the recent round of changes.

We had a pub Sunday lunch in a pub close to us to make up for the family Sunday lunch we’d to cancel thanks to our tier change, which felt slightly galling when checking the rates of those we were meeting with, which were higher than our London borough. But our compensationary (yes, I made that word up) as a welcome distraction.

Back to work, and I vowed I’d make the days shorter somehow. That didn’t happen, though by Friday with an optician appointment and plans to meet work colleagues in the pub (well five of them outside) I probably managed it, though not entirely the way I imagined. I welcomed two new colleagues, got loads (but not as much as I wanted) of stuff done, and sat in front of the rugby for most of Saturday, while awaiting Boris and his announcement that he managed to squeeze in between the end of the England game and Strictly. I didn’t have him down as a fan of the latter, I must admit.

So here we are again facing a second lockdown, and I’m not quite sure how I feel about that. I’m frustrated at how the communications were leaked, rushed and delayed; frustrated that it’s happening again, even though we knew it was likely. Annoyed by those who think the virus has gone, or will somehow skip them, and concerned for how a lockdown in winter will play out, as I don’t really expect it to end on 2 December, surely no one sensible does?

But these are things I can’t universally change. I can only change how I react to them, and how and where I spend my energy, so that’s where I’ll start. Slowly, and one step at a time.

And so, I’ll share some pictures from our Norfolk trip. The cottage we stayed in was tiny, but divine, the beaches at Hunstanton just as I remembered them, and just as ‘watchable’.

Holt made me smile inside and out and staying close by was just what we needed, just as much as a penguin carrying drinks, oh hang on…

Getting out and about in the walled garden and grounds of the Blickling Estate was good for the soul too, as was the brief spot of sun. Less so the day full of rain, but then you can’t have everything, can you?

The Anish Kapoor exhibition at Houghton Hall made me realise how much I like circles, which given the design of our grass, shouldn’t really have been that much of a surprise. The gallery exhibition in the Stables reinforced that, with this mussel shell art catching my eye. MOH saw the price and quickly shooed me along!

At home we’ve had ‘experiences’ shall we say. There was the noisy washing machine incident, which was tortuous to sit, and work through for us both. We thought it was going to be expensive, but it turned out to be an escaped underwire which managed to lodge itself in the drum.

Thankfully the washing machine has recovered, my bra less so, and annoyingly I’d only had it since June. But lesson learnt and two new bras were quickly shopped for.

I’d also been toying with buying a slow cooker, and this weekend have taken the plunge. Weirdly prompted by moths. Taking some time to repack a wardrobe in our spare room, and failing to get everything that had come out back in, I checked the other half of the wardrobe only to discover that our years old, full length winter coats seemed to have attracted moths.

MOH’s was clearly their favourite as his had been well and truly nibbled, passing over mine for the good stuff. Neither though were rescue-able and not fit for a charity shop donation. The wardrobe was emptied again, clean Ed and restacked - and it still didn’t all fit in - and some moth repellent was purchased. Along with a slow cooker, not the most usual companion choice I’ll admit.

BKUE MOON MARTINI

And after all that, we needed a drink.

A moody sky at Sunny Hunny

I’m catching up with some photo editing and these moody sky photos from last month and a visit to my parents, the first since March and since lockdown has been and overstayed its welcome. As there’s storms forecast this week, it seems appropriate to share these now. We may have already had the storms, they could be happening now, or maybe they’re still on their way. If the weather forecasters don’t know, then it’s anyone’s guess isn’t it?

Part of heading to the coast is to see the sea, and as you can see the beaches aren’t replicating the scenes from the south coast. Partly, I’m sure, down to that sky. There were many more people walking along the promenade than I’m used to being around, and initially I balked but everyone was giving people space, but even so we headed to the emptier end of town, stopping at the lookout, well to lookout.

Looking out to sea, over the famous cliffs and trying to work out if the wind farm was visible (only just!).

As ever, it wasn’t long before a couple of plants distracted me. The pink of the valerian and the egg yolk yellow of the santolina, which is another of those plants I should have in my garden. One day.

We headed away from the crowds, skirting alongside the bowling green where the stripes of the neatly manicured grass the clouds somehow looked more dramatic. And we weren’t wrong. As we reached the cafe, just at the end of this green, the rain started. So there really was nothing else for it, an ice cream at the seaside too. We were trapped, you understand.

But thankfully just long enough to eat the ice cream - it was almost as if it was meant to be. Just like the fact that a Norfolk post without lavender can make you question if it’s Norfolk at all, a coastal walk without an ice cream. Yes, exactly.

But really the dramatic skies were quite something. And I was happy to admire them more, from the comfort of being safely indoors, and pretty dry too.

Let’s hope I’m as fortunate with the storms that may (or may not) be on their way.