23 June : Rain

Ugghhh. Wet June.

Soggy roses, saggy peonies.

Not even going to mention

a strangulation of bindweed.

Nope. Not going there.

On the up side

the ground elder

is playing a blinder.

So there's that.

21 June : MasterM

MasterM is having supper at home and reads out the most recent email from a Very Senior Manager:

"The next [person] discovered using their mobile phone during working hours must have permission from their [line manager] or a solid gold excuse. If niether of these apply they will be required to report to my office immediately and can expect disciplinary action"

MasterM says drily 'If only he could spell neither it would be quite a good email" and applies himself to demolishing the roast potatoes.

19 June : Blossom

Sitting huddled in a thick jumper, waiting for the rain to stop, it is hard to remember that it was the most beautiful blossomy May. I have discovered that 'Anne of Green Gables' is the perfect book to read in May because you can immerse yourself in lyrical descriptions of spring blossom which are threaded throughout the joyful story of Anne growing up in Avonlea. Sometimes when you go back to a book that you read in childhood you make the painful discovery that the writing has dated and the plot is stuffy and contrived but 'Anne of Green Gables' sparkles with energy and expresses eloquently that childlike joy which we all feel every year when we see the May blossom as if for the first time.

18 June : First Aid

Bilum Bag

Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea

image : Wikipedia

The Research Associate is going to Papua New Guinea for a month of field work.

"I always take my own first aid kit. The standard ones are fine but I like to have a few extras. Like a bone saw. I worked in canyons for a while and I saw that film '127 Hours'. You know that one where he gets his arm trapped in a rock fall and has to saw it off with a blunt penknife. So I figured if I got a bone saw I could be out of there in ten minutes if my arm ever got trapped.'

MrsM feels slightly faint but suggests that '10 Minutes' is not going to be much of a film. The Research Associate laughs, packs her bandana and sets off for the Back of Beyond.

17 June : Confession

MrM
What's this item on the credit card statement?

MrsM

Um. Well, do you remember that time when you laughed and said I hadn't bought anything from Blue & White for a while? I just thought I would have a quick peep at their website and I saw these vegetable dishes. So I bought six. They were a real bargain.

MrM
*facepalm*