Spring

This lovely weather has brought with it a renewed reason to feel happy to be alive. Like just about everyone in the country, the worst day of the year for me is the day the clocks go back. It's so depressing. I try and enjoy every season regardless of how many hours there are in the day but I think living in the country really brought home to me just how short the days are and how dark the nights can be.  When we did our escape to the country we found  out very quickly that no one goes anywhere without a torch (or wellies)!  Early on after our move we stumbled home from a friends house at 3 in the morning and completely lost our bearings. Yes, drink was involved but having no street lights and it being a moonless night with all the cloud, it was impossible to follow the dirt tracks.  The following day we bought torches and didn't go out of the house at night again without them.  A friends husband bought her a head torch for Christmas one year (I know!)  We were walking down the lane together with said torch and she nearly blinding me every time she turned to talk and the thing kept slipping further into her eyes. It may not seem funny now, but we fell about laughing.  Yes drink was involved.  Needless to say, we all got a head torch! Brilliant invention!  This actually reminds me of another occasion when everyone came back to our house from a night at the pub. It was about midnight I guess. We were missing one of the husbands for about an hour.  Eventually he turned up and apologised for being late but explained he had been having an egg and spoon race with some guests who were staying at the pub. Random.  :)

We took our VW camper van out for the first time this year yesterday.  He's a hansom fella and I love it when people smile and wave. There is no question that sun, sea, sand and camper van are bessie mates.

The sun has also brought with it visitors to our garden., human and animal.  If anyone sees you sitting outside, they just come over and sit outside with you.  Yes, drink is involved.

We get badgers in the garden. Last year they bought their babies with them.  It was quite joyous to watch.


It's not all been sunshine and socialising.  One of my online friends didn't email for well over a week and I was a little concerned that all was not well.  I DID go through the usual stuff of thinking I'd said something wrong so eventually I sent a little message asking if everything was OK.  She wasn't OK. A young girl from a cancer forum they were both on had died. She was 30.  I didn't know her at all but my friend did and it had  knocked her for six.  I lay awake thinking about Lea the girl that died. I don't know why but it bothered me. She was only diagnosed with bowel cancer last October and she died on her birthday last week.  Regardless of not knowing her, the story was bleak enough to cause me a sleepless night. Cancer is such a bastard.