Do we still have fingernails?

We stayed awake till 3.30am watching the situation evolve and waiting for news from our own constituency and those around us.  Finally, with the thought  of a 9.30am meeting this morning, we turned off the TV and gave in, still not knowing what the outcome would be.

The morning came and we still had no idea.

Throughout the day, I peered at my phone, awaiting a text message which would alert me to the results of a constituency nowhere near here but one which was of special interest.

We held our breath.

How much longer?

At 3pm friends dropped in for a cup of tea and a chat.  How could we tell them that we really would have preferred to sit in front of the TV, watching for that result which still hadn’t come in.  We left the screen in favour of sitting around the kitchen table but I spotted someone peeking at his iphone under it from time to time!

At 4pm, only two counts were outstanding, one of which was the delayed election caused by the death of a candidate.  Guess which was the other one?

Finally.  At 4.36pm we pricked up our ears as we heard the words we’d been listening for.  The result was in.  The very last seat was declared.

Geoffrey Cox QC held the West Devon and Torridge seat for the Conservative Party.

But most important, the Parliamentary Assistant in the family still has a job!

Today

Such a stern message to read with my breakfast coffee.  With the weight of our democratic responsibilities heavy on our shoulders, we stopped by the polling station on the way to the supermarket this morning and joined a queue to place our crosses in – we hope – the right boxes.

We can do no more.

No need for a further reminder!

As I put the fresh tulips into the vase, I had other things on my mind, for it would have been Mummy’s 85th birthday today.  My ears pricked up as I heard a conversation on Womans Hour with Daphne Todd, shortlisted for the BP Portrait Award, talking about the portrait she painted of her mother.

Of course, I couldn’t help myself but google…

and reach a very quick and positive conclusion that I prefer to remember my own mother like this.  The kind of memory which Daphne Todd’s extraordinary work provokes are best left undisturbed for now, because believe me, they don’t go away, however hard I try.

One thing is certain, she would not have wanted us to mope.  Time to get on with making further serious decisions…which pillow would we prefer when we are in Montreal shortly?

Art Installation

Look what we found in our garden this morning.

Left by an artist friend, we were delighted to find it there and thrilled to have such original artwork here. 

How come it’s taken us so long to find it?

Could be that it blends so well with the surroundings.  It sits quietly there, creeping down the back of the chair and along the seat – or is it growing steadily upwards with slealthy progress when we’re not looking?

Whatever.

On this sunny day, here in our garden, we sat back and enjoyed the view, including Paulene’s artwork which we very much cherish.

Thank you, Paulene.

We’ve found our installation here as well.  See, do you know what your garden furniture gets up to when you’re not looking?

Changeable

A Bank Holiday here always seems like a bonus; a day to cherish more than the average day and certainly not one to spend doing everyday things. 

Time to sort out the summerhouse, perhaps?

 

At times, the garden looked like a yard sale, with everything out on the terrace in the sunshine.  Every now and again a dark cloud would come over and I’d keep my fingers crossed that the heavens wouldn’t open until I was ready.

First job was to suck out all the dead spiders and a years worth of cobwebs.  That was when I had my funny turn.

Perhaps it was the sensation of warm sunshine on my back after so many months?

Whatever was the cause, something happened to provoke a very strange reaction.

I got out the painting things and began to paint the summerhouse walls!

Two hours later, all was back in place, looking clean, fresh and spider-free.  What’s more, the sun was still shining and we enjoyed our first outdoor lunch this year.

 

No sooner had we finished, than the heavens opened and we had to run for cover.

A typical Bank Holiday, then!

Voilà.

Just finished the Bola scarf, so named by Mark, who described it “like one of those Gaucho things for catching horses”.

So, I did what anyone does these days and googled  “gaucho device catching horses with ball at each end” , thereby learning all there is to know about the boleadores.

Now there was an unexpected learning opportunity.

The original idea for my Bola scarf came from this book published (in French) by La Droguerie.  There are so many original ideas in there, it’s one I return to time and again.  No worries about the French either, for the diagrams are clear enough for anyone with a little basic knitting/crochet skills and a bit of imagination to follow.