Fresh From the Garden

    I tried some tennis today - just 8 games - as I was at the courts anyway to run the Friday morning social. My fingers were well taped up and I wore an old golfing glove on my left hand. After playing the fingers were a bit tender but no blisters, thankfully. Next time I will try to play longer. Maybe the skin will toghen up.

   There's still three weeks to go before I can take off the splint and I am employing all my coping mechanisms to get through the days. One big disadvantage is that I can't do any baking that requires kneading, so no shortbread cookies! Today I managed to make a rhubarb cake, which just required stirring with a wooden spoon, with the first picking of my rhubarb plants. It looks yummy!

Better Late Than Never

    It has been sweltering (32C today) for the last two days but finally my pool is on the way to being ready. I had waited until the Norway Spruce that overlooked it was taken down to have it opened for the summer. Who knew it would be so hot this early?

This was yesterday with the winter cover still on.

    The guys arrived early and had the cover off in no time and started draining the pool. The water level was definitely down, so possibly there was a leak in the old liner.

   

   Then they set about checking the walls for damage. It must have been blisteringly hot working in the blazing sun!

    Now the new liner is in and the water hose is running to fill it up. That will take until tomorrow so, hopefully, I will be showing the completed process tomorrow!

Finger Update

    Went for a check-up of my finger and had the splint adjusted to keep it straighter. Unfortunately I have to continue to wear it for another 4 weeks and then will graduate to a velcro splint. I am hoping I will be able to get back to tennis then as I am sorely missing it. Also, it is difficult to keep it clean and dry (my yellow rubber glove is my new best friend) so it is becoming a bit of a nuisance. My pool will be ready in the next week or two but I doubt I will be swimming much until July!

   I wear it while chopping vegetables, handling meat and even when eating a "hands-on" meal like burritos or barbecued chicken wings!

A Possible Replacement

    My last remaining Wiegela bush (there were three) is in full bloom this week and I am considering it as a replacement for the Spruce. It's fairly tidy and will grow about 6 feet tall so would fill the space nicely, given a few years. 

   The two I lost had a deeper red blossom so maybe I will go with that this time.