The Smile of Spring
As I settle into my fiftieth year, I am preparing for the warmer weather and welcoming the spring and lighter evenings, particularly as my family and I recently moved into a corner plot house, which boasts a huge garden! We moved in the winter and haven’t been able to showcase this beautiful south facing paradise. Until now. As the sun starts to show her face again (finally) my family and I have been spending more time in the garden. What a tranquil experience, we have a pond with a water feature and at least a dozen fish, as well as a concreted area fitting two sets of garden furniture, as well as a green lawn, shrubbery, holly tree and rockery! My husband has his own concrete paradise in the form of a double-glazed double garage. I won’t ask what he gets up to in there, but it keeps him happy!
Many an afternoon, in between consulting with patients from home, I have sat, with a book and a cup of tea, while our new puppy leaps around the garden, chasing her tail, leaves and anything she can chew! The garden receives the sun from rising in the morning, at the left side, to setting on an evening to the right and our kitchen has two windows, showcasing these beautiful views.
I have so many plans that include this nature reserve that is ours, including a green house, and new garden furniture. My husband has already started planting bulbs and turning the soil, he has much greener fingers than I. This weekend we are having the family over for a garden party and this will be the first of many! I am counting on the sun to spread its warmth over our tiny piece of paradise.
I have even had my hair lightened, ready for the summer months, and what a difference this had made! It’s as though ridding myself of the once black colour I had for many years has lifted not just my complexion, but my mood! It also lightened my husband’s wallet, since he treated me to a Salon cut, colour and blow dry. I didn’t realise how much it cost to have hair professionally styled, but it has been well worth it. Now all I need to do is get the free lightening from the sun over the next 5 months, ready for our family holiday abroad.
I calculated that my family and I have not left the UK for nine years! I’m surprised we haven’t grown roots- we might have had we not moved house! I think along with the new investment into a more summer style of hair, I have developed the “travel bug”, a desire to follow the sun. I’ve never been a serious sun worshiper, and cannot boast many sun holidays over the years, unless you count one or two bright days at Whitby over as many years! I’ve never used sun beds, in fact, this may be why, generally, I am very pale.
This year may see a change there! As my husband’s fingers get greener, and my hair gets lighter, we can look forward to a boost in vitamin D, some bronzing that doesn’t come out of a bottle and some much-needed outdoor time. Our puppy had her final injection this last week, so we can start taking her out on actual walks in the next few weeks. There is nothing better to keep you fit than a growing retriever! The timing is perfect, just as the evenings are drawing out, and the sun is warmer, my husband, children and I can enjoy evening walks with Bobbie.
Let’s hope that this year’s spring and summer is an improvement on last year! At least if we are disappointed, for the first time in nine years, we can tolerate whatever the British weather has to offer, knowing we will fly out to hotter climate come August!
