Early rising

I'm awake early - 4 am - so got up to make a coffee and do this blog. This pic was taken a few months back, when I got my new glasses after cataract operations.

My eyes are swollen after crying for Muffy since she died. Bruce and Wendy popped in yesterday with flowers for me. That was nice.

I plan to go to an Australian Natives nursery this morning, as beginning Muffy's Memorial Garden has inspired me to beautify the whole place. Both front- and back-yards have been neglected for a long time, making me ashamed. Emma is having a pool party here tomorrow, so I want to at least have the surrounds a bit decent. Extremely hot weather of late has killed most of the potplants, so it's time I made a fresh start. I've moved most of the pots into a shadier area.

School goes back next Tuesday. The kids have had a six-week summer holiday, and Philip three, so we will need to get organised. Their mother left home some months ago, making things extremely difficult. Emma never wants to go to her flat, preferring to stay in her own home with Daddy, naturally. Hugo doesn't seem to understand there has been a tearing-apart of his family, and goes to his mother every now and then. But fortunately for us, they're here most of the time. Philip is being magnificent, as always. 

At 6 am I'll listen to The Archers, as I've been doing for years. Right now we're into surrogacy! There's no doubt about it, we get a bit of absolutely everything in this BBC radio program. It's been running since the war!

I, and most of my friends, have just about given up totally on TV. I've got NETFLIX and binged on The Crown recently. In my opinion, this is the best program ever made. Last night I discovered Hidden Houses in Wales. I adore things like this. You folk who live in England and Europe are so lucky to have such beautiful old buildings. Nothing older than 200 years here.