Saturday 9th April

My job list for the week is only half done because the weather wasn't good until Friday and many of the things I wanted to do were outside. I just can't get up much enthusiasm for outside work when it's cold.

But I was out there long enough to spot these, which were a nice surprise. What a good thing I didn't do much weeding earlier because the leaves just look like grass. They're Fritillaries and there are 5 flowers all together- very pretty and not something I've ever had in any of my umpteen gardens before.

Now need to get busy with the hoe as there's ground elder coming up again.

It was warm for long enough to get a few beetroot seeds in and I also spent a little while in the greenhouse so the tomatoes have all been pricked out even though they didn't yet have their seed leaves - or much root - they were getting too leggy- they are now on the living room window sill and hopefully will survive.I've sown some courgette and chard seeds too plus cucumber seeds, although I'm now thinking that the seeds I've sown are not what I ordered. Not all female which is a nuisance . I'll have to search for some more seeds.

The poor Magnolia (pictured Here in March) is a sad looking thing now, last week the windy weather was blowing the petals down and this week one over night frost caught it and turned all the petals brown and nipped the tips of the Buddleia too. In theory my back garden should be sheltered but in practice it seems to be a place that gets gusts of wind and a bit of a frost pocket too.

The council grass cutter was round yesterday and cut the bit out the front which is between the footpath and the road - chopped some of the W.I daffodils, but cleverly managed to avoid three clumps which is good - I was afraid in the hurry to get done they would just run over the whole lot.

Because I don't do on-line selling anywhere I got Daughter in Law to take some photos of the 4 things in the garage that needed to go, and she did a brilliant job of advertising them on the local facebook page and 3 have gone, just the little fridge left and I am £60 better off!

I'll need the space in the garage to store some things from the bedroom because I've definitely decided to go ahead with alterations that will see the very cold en-suite (with the silly Saniflow maceration toilet, shower and basin) turned into a storeroom with access from the back garden (for the freezer and tumble dryer) and a new en-suite made at the end of the bedroom with drains going directly into the mains sewer. It means I'll have to cope with builders sometime later this year but hopefully it will take less than a month to do.

This week I am grateful for