A Happy Day

Early this morning after re-arranging mum's furniture Hairy Suit and myself tootled off to see Hairy's ma and pa. It is ma's birthday
A little lady and a big big man. That was ma and pa not me and Hairy.
Whilst we chatted away like a squall of old parrots my old mum was watching Andrew Neil hosting The Daily Politics show on BBC2. Must be where I get my interest in the grubby business from.
Mr Horsehound meanwhile was steering youngsters new to the tv business in every right direction. A born teacher.

I digress.

'Twas a most pleasing couple of hours with Viola and Trevor, and as they enthused about their wild back garden I felt more than a passing twang of sadness. Sadness on account of my mum not being able to share it. Not that mum has green fingers but she does like looking into other people's houses.
Viola was the perfect hostess offering tea and biscuits using beautiful bone china and a ravishing array of delicious biscuits. Real old school and I loved it.
As the four of us surveyed the undulating landscape of the back garden I was struck by how stunningly simple everything was. Simple borders, haphazard planting of fruits and veggies, a miniature railway painstakingly lovingly constructed running around the edge of the wild lawn and, down towards the station hut, a galaxy of golden fish swimming happily and fat in Trevor's homemade pond. Amazing.
Just the type of garden I would like one day. The kind of horticultural haven that would have to bring out the poet......
It was imperfect.
There was, amongst the weeds and lillies, rusting buckets and old yellow hoses, split bags of sand and old plump pear trees, and, by the loganberries a rusting bird feeding station, warped wonky but packed with sunflower hearts and mealworms.
Viola's smile caught on. There we sat in her conservatory which only another hoarder and collector of ceramic birds could love talking merrily and earnestly about rhubarb and life's big decisions.


She liked the gift I'd given her, oriental lillies in a purple pot and the card with hand drawn pictures of non-descript flowers. I think in the future Viola and I will be share many a happy hour.

As it's my birthday tomorrow I need to get to bed right now on account of having a smashing lunch party tomorrow with Hairy, his wife Mrs Hairy, my Mr Horsehound and hopefully, mother.
She hasn't been tip top today but I'm hoping that after a few hours sleep in a pain free night she'll be able to come with us.

Goodnight All