No TV, Just Life: First sunburn this season

Lovely night, slept like a log! Woke up rested and ready for the day even before six. Not much of a sunrise, as it was overcast, but still beautiful. I love the way the sunrays mirror on the ocean giving it such a polished and sparkling look.

I’m thinking of bringing the garden table and chairs up, outside my front door. It’s too big to keep it set up here, but it would be lovely to have breakfast outdoors. Pity they didn’t give much thought when they designed the buildings – would have been simple to extend the top of the stairs to a balcony facing front! Or even just add a window! Ah well, but breakfast on the porch would be nice. I was planning to get that set up, since it was quite chilly indoors – the small breeze was so cold, I sat bundled up with a scarf to protect my neck for a draft! – I thought it would be too cold in the garden; but outside it was actually quite lovely! My neighbour came out and we agreed to meet in the garden.

I had vacuumed by then and taken dinner out the freezer, so outside I went.

She had baked muffins, chocolate muffins – my favourite – so I had breakfast outdoors after all!

I started by moving the errant tomato plant inside the bed, then weeding a bit around those tall purple flowers by the carnations. Since I always wear shoes in the garden – with the gravel and cracks on the paths – my feet have not seen sun since I left East London. It looks rather funny, brown legs ending in snow white feet – so I decided to try barefoot today. Get some sun on my feet.

Then I went over the lawn patch – again – pulling out little baby versions of those horrible flat weeds and a whole new host of blackjacks. They look like clover, pretty and harmless clover, but they grow little seedpods with all spikes around which dry out – and you don’t want to step on them then! Unbelievable how much has regrown since I last worked it over!

The sun got a bit hot around noon, so I went to put on sunblock. Only, I didn’t ask my neighbour to cover the patch on my back I can’t reach! So I got burnt after all! Throughout the day, we had our own little Punch & Judy show going on: with my neighbours cat and Silver disliking each other, only one of the two would join us at any time.

We also had quite a laugh at Dark Silver, who came strolling along a few times. On one occasion, she decided to go into my neighbours garden, like all the cats do from time to time. Only: Our cats have figured out to walk under the green fence and jump onto the wall. Dark Silver decided to go up the post! She got almost to the top – then sort of looked around deciding what to do, whether she’d be able to jump back down without loosing face, pride won and she clawed her way to the top, then nonchalantly jumped down the other side. It was quite hilarious seeing her stuck nearly at the top, with that puzzled look on her face! Well, of course we don’t know what they think – but that’s what her behavior implied!

By four it started getting cold, so we retreated indoors. I fried myself leftover Bratwurst with leftover potatoes and bacon – and for desert treated myself to strawberries with cream! Strawberries are not cheap, but I thought I’d treat myself. Won’t make that mistake again – they looked like good strawberries, but had practically no taste whatsoever!

For a stray, Silver is quite attentive; wanting to be brushed and petted. So, to ensure another nights sleep, I better give her some attention before I go to sleep.