My garden is still flowering though slowing down rapidly. A few chilly nights have taken the top layer of leaves off my nasturtiums and dahlias though officially it has not yet frozen at our house. A few evenings as I've left work I've needed to scrape ice off the car, but seven miles away in my yard the frost hasn't yet penetrated.

Someone gave Partner about five boxes of old National Geographic magazines. I enjoy this august organ as well as any moderately informed citizen of a first world nation, but--five boxes. In my living room. Have I mentioned Partner and his unhealthy fetish for junk? I do my best to simplify our surroundings and minimalize unnecessary clutter. I find that an uncluttered space is a relaxing space. Partner seems to need things because someone gave it to him ten years ago and it still fits fine even if it's got three holes and an oil slick down the front. For example.

[complain] I distinctly remember when I took my full-time job, Partner promised to perform half of the household chores, because I now work equal (or greater) hours to himself outside the home. I feel this bargain has not yet been fulfilled. Today, my day off, the chores loom. I don't remember the last time I had a fun day off on my own (we generally do not have the same days off) . Partner says I should laze around all day in my bathrobe. He only says this so he'll feel justified in doing it himself when it's his day off. [/complain]

This is my 100th post.

Every time I go to write in my blog I seem to be so exhausted I can't think of anything coherent to write about. Today is not much different. I got home from work an hour and a half ago, went on walkies with Partner and the dog, got rained on, came home and want to eat a big three-course dinner while soaking in the bath. I don't think it will happen. Partner is downstairs and I can hear him snoring from here.

So we got a kitchen floor after all. Partner persuaded me to go to a closing down sale at a home improvement center and there was some very cheap flooring which is now in the kitchen. It looks so much better now. Curtains will be next. And some wall hangings of a sort. I was thinking of creating some very large abstract art to go on one wall. Very large and very red. Or I might go for a more traditional look with some classic prints. Right now we have a Monet on one wall and two original Chinese watercolors on the other.

Whether this is coherent or not, I cannot say. I will leave it for the reader to decide and head downstairs to find some food.

We painted over that awful olive drab on the kitchen walls. It looks very bright but also a bit stark. It needs a floor and some curtains. We promised ourselves we'd buy a floor in the after-Christmas sales. I want a laminate floor. To tell the truth I'd like a new cabinet layout and countertops as well but I think I'll have to wait a bit longer for that. Slowly the house transforms.

Our dog likes tea. Last week Partner put his cup of tea on the floor next to his chair in the living room and a few minutes later we heard a loud slurping noise. As a further experiment, last night Partner poured her a little bowl out of what was left of the teapot and she drank it dry. It was Earl Grey; she has a sophisticated palate. However, she also rolled in poo yesterday so even though she's a bit of an epicure, she's still disgusting.

I bought another big bag of daffodil bulbs tonight. I told Partner I'm a sucker for bulbs. That will bring my total daffodil bulbs somewhere in the vicinity of 300. Now if I can bring up my tulip/iris/hyacinth totals that high too...yowzers. That would be AweSome. I had a look at some clearance plants at the garden center as well but they weren't clear enough for me to buy them. I saw some peonies on special but they looked a bit dead, and some cherry trees that had no tags so I didn't know if they were eating cherries or just ornamentals. But the daffodils looked great. They'll be going in the ground early next week I think.

It's just about bedtime for me. I got up very early this morning to cook breakfast at work. I like working breakfast because it means I don't have to work evenings. I can manage five o'clock wake up calls. If I have to.

It feels like fall. I'm sorely unprepared for the weather when it comes to my wardrobe. But I'm also completely broke. Broke is a bad position to be when one needs clothes. I haven't bought clothes for about a year now. I've also lost weight so my clothes are all a bit big on me.

The dog keeps tearing off new growth on my newly planted rosebushes. When she wants to get past she just bounds through them and if any branches snag on her coat, she takes them with her. So far she's carried off about three twelve-inch lengths. I asked Partner to build a little barrier to hold until they get bigger and stronger, but it doesn't deter her. I used a bunch of bamboo canes and made a little wall today. I hope it holds.

Excuse me while I faint or cry or both. My workweek has expanded to 50+ hours and while I need the money, for five days a week I do nothing but sleep, eat, and work. Literally. Then on my day off I catch up on all the housework, because while I seem to do twice as much working outside the home, I still seem to have the same amount of chores to do at home. It just doesn't seem right. And Partner spends all my money. At least, I don't spend any of it, and I still see food in the fridge and diesel in the car.

I suggested to Partner that for Christmas this year we buy each other things we need, such as a kitchen floor. We still don't have one. I think it's been two years now. Me personally, I want a few things for the garden, such as three bags of tulip bulbs and a cherry tree. I also want some new clothes seeing as I'm going a bit threadbare. I think Partner could use some new clothes too. He loves new socks. Whereas I dislike socks in general and avoid them wherever possible.

We've been without internet and phone access here at the house for five days but finally got it back on today. We've had to use our cell phones to communicate with the outside world but no email or online banking.

I've gone from a weekly paycheck to a monthly paycheck and it's been a bit tough this past month. But since I'm getting paid tomorrow hopefully things will be a little easier. I've also switched from part time to a full time position; my pay ought to be a bit higher.

It's been a great year for mosquitoes here. I think we have an army of them living in the house, making themselves coffee and watching soap operas while we're out. And then feasting on our blood when we come back. They're just floating past the computer screen as I type, minding their own business, not doing any harm. But those are just diversionary tactics while a stealth battalion creeps up from the rear, guerrilla-style, to perform a shock and awe attack, only to disappear back into the woodwork. By the time I hear the whining of a hundred tiny wings, it's too late. I must say, these mosquitoes know a lot about demoralization.

I keep burning myself at work. My hands are covered in burn marks--mostly from the heat lamps. I try to keep my hands nice by wearing gloves when using cleaning chemicals or washing dishes and of course eating healthily and drinking plenty of water. All so I can have small soft hands covered in burn scars.

The dog and I went on walkies by ourselves for the first time in weeks. With my new hours I have no time or energy for the dog so Partner usually takes her out. I like to go out with her when it's nice weather.

I just returned from a three-day stint in Germany. I flew there to meet my father who was there on business and we had a fine old time. I sampled some local cuisine, including black bread (schwartzbrot, I think) and lots and lots of pig-derived meat. I also had a very tasty pastry item with hazelnuts and chocolate. My dad thought it would be sickly sweet. It wasn't. The city we were in was very green and pretty. And public transport everywhere. Trains, trams, buses, even cable-car thingies. We stuck to the train, as it took us from the town center to our hotel. And I like euros. Things were cheaper because the euro is worth less than the pound.

But I am glad to be back home. Partner couldn't come with me and I've missed him. He's still at work so I haven't seen him yet; his mother picked me up from the airport. And the dog stayed with her while I was gone--luckily she doesn't seem to hate me for abandoning her. But she has been looking for Partner. I think she's missed him as much as I have. And I know Partner missed me because there was a pile of dishes and a basket of laundry waiting for me. (He's not allowed to do laundry but he IS allowed to do dishes.)

Ode to Beauty

How much poo

Could a little dog poo

If a little dog widdled and pooed?

She'd poo all she could

That little dog would

If a little dog widdled and pooed.

I don't know how one dog can generate so much fecal matter. I collect a whole shopping bag full every week. I know it's only hers because the yard is air-tight. No dogs get in or out. And it's not like she's a Rottweiler or anything. She's just a little terrier. But she can perform miracles: turning water (or something) into poo.

I think our two weeks of summer may now be over. It is distinctly cooler with a lot of cloud and rain again. And to think, two weeks ago I was sunburned.

I pulled up some of our carrots and made them into soup last night. It was pretty darn yummy. I also pulled up a few beets for our dinner. Our peas and beans are also steadily increasing but it's been a bad year for tomatoes. I doubt we'll get much. My selection of cut flowers has been so-so. I've been picking vases but have to be creative in order to induce any sort of variety. I have plenty of carnations and the roses aren't doing too badly. And the dahlias are beginning to show. That's all, really.

I've been taking to locking the dog in the living room in the mornings because she tries to destroy any mail that gets delivered. She'll begin by barking and bouncing, and as soon as the letters slide through the slot she'll grab them and start ripping. If no one is there to stop her, she'll attempt to take them outside and bury the evidence. Luckily most important mail is in stiff envelopes. The flimsy junk mail takes the brunt of her anger.

At last we've had almost a week of sunny weather with no rain. I've been celebrating by hanging my laundry on the line and watering my hanging baskets and other patio containers. Haven't done that in a while.

Partner and I were given a sofa and two matching chairs by a relative who didn't want them any more. Our old couch is currently hanging out in the dining room but only temporarily I hope. I want to get rid of it but I'm not sure anyone will want to take it except the dump. It's hopelessly ripped and needs new slipcovers desperately. I do kind of like having a couch in the dining room, however. It's a south-facing room with a very big glass sliding door and is lovely to sit in the sun on a comfy seat during the morning. The dog thinks so too.

I have a week off work at the end of August and am going to spend a few days in Germany with my father. Partner can't get the time off work so I get to go alone. I'm slightly nervous about flying to a foreign country on my own, but I'm counting on the fact that the airport staff will speak English. Or at least someone will. Because I have to find my own way from the airport to the hotel. It's a bit scary.

We had guests over last night for dinner and a drink and I had a good time. Two of my work colleagues whom I am particular friends with arrived at seven and when they left at eleven thirty it seemed to me like no time had passed. I certainly hope it was the same for them. I made dinner and while it tasted nice I rather thought it was unremarkable. But the flowers...the flowers were spectacular. I picked three vases for the living, dining, and bathroom and all that research on flower arrangement has paid off. I haven't had many flowers to work with for the past few weeks; the first flush of roses is over and while they're budding up again, I haven't had any blooms and the rain has slowed down a lot of the growth on my other flowers. Or any flowers I do have don't last well when cut, such as my poppies. I love the poppies but they can last only a few hours indoors.

I'm surprised how early I got up today and might go back to bed.

What with all the rain we've had lately, a lot of my seedlings have disappeared. I just wish the rain would drown my weeds as well. I went out and bought some replacement plants at the garden center and picked up a few bargains as well. I got four rosebushes for the price of one and now I have to decide where to put them. I still have a dream of picking bowls of roses. One house we lived in when I was a kid had a hedge of pink roses surrounding part of the garden. I didn't appreciate them then but I would love it now.

I hung a few of my paintings on the walls. I want to paint more. I'm thinking of branching out into landscapes. I love painting flowers but I think there's only so many flowers one can put on one's walls.

My foot is a lot better and so long as I keep it completely level when I need to put weight on it, I can walk quite fast and even run a bit. Walking down stairs still presents minor difficulties as I need to keep my whole foot on the stair in order to navigate. We walked around York yesterday and as long as I avoided the cobblestones, I could walk easily on the pavement. York is a mass of uneven cobbled streets and sunken ancient flagstones and modern brick paving. Charming, though slightly hard to walk on with injured feet or high heels.

Partner printed off Chopin's Revolutionary Study for piano and I've been working on it. I have the first page down ok. I can play it sort of andante--never mind it should be allegro. I've discovered that my interpretation of allegro generally sits at around andante anyway. I need to practice more. I played for about an hour today and my hands actually began to hurt with all the stretching.

I have an injured foot and knee from falling down the stairs. The dog was involved. So I had a week off work but now I'm back. Not fully healed but able to limp adequately. When I first did it I was going nuts with the inactivity: all I could do was lay down. Going up stairs was tricky and seeing as our bathroom is upstairs I tried to hold it for as long as I could. Down was fine because I could scoot on my backside. Now I can maneuver the stairs fairly easily though it takes a bit of time coming down. I can still scoot. If I need to.

I'm working on storage solutions for our house. We don't have a lot of built-in storage so we have to make the best of movable storage, i.e. dressers, shelves, and boxes. Problem is, our house is full of junk. If it were just me I'd toss it all but Partner loves his junk. He needs his junk (allegedly). What's more, he loves to get new junk. I blame it all on him. After all, not one piece of the junk in all the house belongs to me. Everything that belongs to me is useful and necessary.

There has been a lot of bad flooding in our area this month and this week especially. My place of work was shut down for a day because the cellar was knee deep and part of the ceiling collapsed on the main floor. Kind of exciting but I'm just glad our house wasn't affected. Though Partner is worried the fish will escape out of the pond if it gets any higher.

The other night at about midnight the dog started yammering about intruders and so Partner went downstairs with his stick with a nail in it (only the nail seems to have fallen out) and when he opened the door he nearly stepped on a tiny hedgehog. In his bare feet. Apparently the hedgehog was attempting to break into the house, or so the dog thought. Partner called me down and we shut the dog in the next room and we watched it uncurl and snuffle off. It was literally right there in front of us and we could have reached out and picked it up, had our hands been adequately protected. The other hedgehog that lives in our garden is quite big--almost the size of a Yorkshire terrier. This one was about the size of a tennis ball.

Our wedding anniversary is coming up in about two weeks. Number three. Partner has hinted that he's going to get me a present that I will absolutely love. I wonder if that means he's giving me plenty of time to get him something equally appropriate. I kind of wanted to get a present for the both of us.

We got another orchid last month. Already we had five, so I wasn't too sure if I wanted another one; it was also on the blue light special shelf at the store because it had been damaged, most likely in a fall. But Partner insisted and I admit I was only a little reluctant. It's now performing spectacularly. I have to decide on a name. I was thinking of a famous name from fiction, such as Titania, but I already have a Shakespearian-named orchid: Ophelia. Maybe a biblical name, but I already have a Mary Magdalen. Maybe Hester Pryne...I always liked her.

Our hedgehog has put in several appearances so I'm beginning to think it's now a regular feature on an evening. Beauty really likes the hedgehog but I don't think the regard is mutual. We like it too: it scurries around munching sluggies and buggies. And it's adorable.

I think I made a reference to Partner's baseball team in the past, the Strikers. It was my opinion that they were named after their skill at batting. Well, after seeing them in action twice now, I have concluded they should be called the Suckers per their skill at baseball. I think in the whole time Partner played for them they didn't win a game. I can see why. He's still not playing because of his arm and is not allowed to ever again. But if he does, he should join a different team. I saw only one batter get on base with a hit, some very bad fielding errors, and the slowest fastball I have ever witnessed. I think I could throw a faster one. I did provide some heckling of the other team, though, mostly in the form of "Ooooo"ing at the pitcher after he struck two batters with a pitch. I would boo but I'm too polite.

Partner very helpfully reminded me yesterday that I hadn't updated my blog in more than a week. I think he wants to hear about something other than my wounded finger.

We bought a push mower this weekend and had a lot of fun mowing the lawn. It doesn't take a whole lot of strength, but since the last mower has been broken for a while, the lawn was very overgrown. So it took a lot of pushing to trim it all off. I was scared of the other mower so I wouldn't use it, but I don't mind this one.

At last I have enough flowers to pick and bring indoors. I made three very happy arrangements of roses, daisies, pinks, foxgloves, campanula, and irises. As I have I think twelve rosebushes of various colors suitable for arrangements, I have plenty of variety. I also have about twelve other rosebushes of various colors that have tiny sprays of blooms which can work for cut flowers but look better on the bush. I still don't have a red rose though. Partner says this is white rose country and those helicopters we see flying over every week are the rose police, making sure no one is trying to get away with a surreptitious red rose. Something to do with the Wars of the Roses (and those Lancastrian scum). I'm not quite sure if I believe him. He seems to think I'll get deported if I plant a red rosebush.

Poppies

I nearly sliced the end off my little finger at work the other day while cutting onions. It's a bit difficult to type and play piano, but the piano is easier than the keyboard. The keys are bigger. When it happened I had to sit down for a few minutes and try not to pass out. A coworker bandaged me up and gave me some sympathy. I keep showing it to Partner to get sympathy out of him too.

Earlier today the dog was rooting around the bushes while Partner and I were looking at our flowers and we suddenly heard some very frantic chirping and flapping and the dog appeared with her mouth full of blackbird. I think Partner was more upset than I was. To me, it was just a dog being a dog. But he got it away from her and she didn't actually kill it though it may have staggered off mortally injured for all we know. We know she likes to play with soft toys (she positively decimated a little furry shark the other day) and I think it's just her instinct as a terrier to catch and kill little fuzzy things.

We went on an hour and a half walk today and saw all kinds of flowers and butterflies and tadpoles and Beauty very politely met some other doggies. We saw a beautiful field of scarlet poppies. We have a print of Monet's poppy field hanging in our dining room. I wished I had brought my easel and paints. Maybe I'll go out tomorrow with them.