New flowers! And a possible cure for parasites?

I was wide awake at four this morning, so wide awake that I figured I could stay awake till the alarm goes off, but then I must have turned over at some point since it was seven when I resurfaced. I struggled to shake this weird dream I was having involving a new pet, a dog – beautiful dog, by the way – and for some reason it was my job to paint the tools in the mechanics toolboxes, each size a different colour? Something about a new safety measure. Where on earth is this coming from?

A bit late for work, and immediately get to pick up another new colleague – though only at reception, this time. He drove himself from the airport to the guesthouse and to work. Well, he’s here for a couple of weeks, unlike the colleague I picked up on Monday, who’s only here a few days – not worth applying for an international drivers licence just for a few days.

I’m feeling a bit out of sorts this week, I’m blaming the weather, for now. But I think it’s also related to the change in atmosphere here at work – with the only person who took responsibility not here at the moment, I once again have absolutely no support. When I ask for assistance with drawing-details I get derogatory replies like ‘It’s so simple, why are you struggling’ ... uhm, excuse me, it may be simple for a qualified and company-experienced mechanical engineer – but for an outsider, a secretary, who’s only been involved with this task for a few months, without any training, your drawings are not so simple.

I’m trying to come up with some positive thought but my mind just keeps circling doom and gloom. When I’m in my garden that will lift very quickly! As I left for work this morning I noticed some of the transplanted flowers were no longer lying flat but have lifted up.

I was right, the garden lifted my spirits. My neighbour was nurturing our new rockery, we counted how many cuttings she’s planted – it was quite funny, because first count was nine, second count ten, until we finally ended up with thirteen! She’s been quite enthusiastic filling every gap – it is lovely!

Isn't this cabbage-like succulent beautiful?

The Bromeliad is in full bloom. My neighbour says she has never, in the nine years she’s live here, seen them flower so extravagantly.

This yellow flower is still the only one in bloom in the planter – for now.

Quite a few of the transplants are standing up and looking good. The neighbour's cat had been following her every step, inspecting what she does, what we’re looking at. While we were looking at the transplants he took a sniff at that mystery plant in the vegetable patch and he decided whatever is infecting it, needed some watering – the kind only he could provide! My neighbour and I looked at that, looked at each other and blurted out “If that turns out to be a vegetable, we’re not going to eat it!” and had a good laugh.

Then I got so distracted with all the new flowers we discovered in my patch of joy, I completely forgot to water! First there’s a whole lot of new cosmos open. Each one unique.

And look at all the new flowers in bloom!

Look familiar? Different colouring, though

These are not exactly new, but just multiplying

See? These are the 'old' ones

Brand new flower discovered today!

For dinner I got a bit carried away, instead of plain pasta I started with lentils, then added Zucchini, Peas and Beans – it turned into quite a feast. And there’s enough left over so I won’t have to cook tomorrow night.