Memorials all over today but I’m doing my own form of remembrance. A TV tribute had me sniffing last night and acknowledging the many ways we can help our communities.

It’s a bit soggy out so I should plant those bulbs. I’ve had a few ups and downs over the last couple of days, a lot of which has seen me walking away from situations that don’t suit. I have to be sure my time is best occupied with meaningful activities and release the obligations which cause me angst.

I’ve thought a lot also about significant anniversaries as it’s approximately thirty years since I started life in London. And the memories of my life at that time wasn’t all rosy! I worked in a large retailer of homewares, and was attempting to get into academic publishing through a post-grad course. I ended up working in publishing for fourteen years but I won’t go back as digital processing means my skills in glossy image-led books is defunct. Transferable skills though!?!

My gardening came about through one or two of those books but again my knowledge is written rather than practical. Design skills are also supposed to be transferable but as with my architecture experiences, garden design is SO different. I find it difficult to design for other people. I like what I like but it’s often harder to achieve without hard slog and that makes me tired just thinking about it…

I’ll try and push on. Bare feet and a tshirt is not outdoor gear!

It’s actually nice outside but the garden is very messy. Mess makes me easily distracted from the less pleasant tasks. I have tulips to plant but all my pots are weed filled. It’s been a bad year for even managing to weed. My garden is currently being taken over by leaves and dog mess. I’m not expecting to hand it all over to the rest of the family (I should be SO lucky!) and the dog is perplexed if I don’t keep playing with him. The life of a rescue dog mum is never straight forward – he was making friends with the gas men today, so different to our doodle – but when your window to achieve planting tulips gets smaller, the garden must come first.