This time last year we had just heard the first whisperings of a virus coming out of China, another Sars or bird flu we presumed and carried on with our lives never realising for a moment that everything we took for granted was about to come to an end. 12 months later we know alot more and are no longer under the illusion that it will all be over in a few months, speaking more in terms of years now until we can travel and holiday, even live and work the same way as before. Knowledge is power as they say and as we now know how very clever our adversary is we just have to keep doing the obvious things to keep one step ahead of it and hope for the best. And boy oh boy won’t we appreciate it when things return and so much the more for having been deprived of it!

We have been enjoying this cooler and wetter summer as it makes working in the garden so much more pleasant (and also means less watering by hand) but it has also meant that everything has gone bananas and is growing like we live in the tropics rather than the south coast! The MOTH could honestly mow twice a week if he had the time or the inclination and the plants have gone berserk too. I think it is a season of abundance and we feel like we are in an animal sanctuary lately with babies of all decriptions everywhere we look. Baby lorikeets, baby peewees, baby rabbits, beautiful green frogs have taken up residence in my mailbox, the acoustics amplifying their throaty calls to Opera type volumes at night and we feel very lucky to have so much life happening all around us and reminding us life is good no matter what!

My nephew and his wife popped down for a lovely 24 hour visit on one of our more summery days and we enjoyed catching up with them and eating al fresco, enjoying a bonfire and a beer and a swim in the pool – all of which have been rare this summer in between all the showers! It’s so lovely to have my now adult Nieces and Nephews nearby and be able to offer them a change from their city life when they fancy it. The amount of visitors to The Meadow has shrunk lately as our friends also become Grandparents and the weekends are more taken up with family events and responsibilities. I’m guessing the next wave of visitors will occur as everyone starts to retire and their weeks are freed up a little more although maybe then golf and holidays away will take over instead! We had a very special little visitor a couple of weeks ago when Cooper came to stay for a few days. His Mum and Dad had managed to squeeze in a couple of days away for a Babymoon ahead of baby #2 arriving and we seized the opportunity to have him to ourselves! He is a good little boy with an inquisitive nature so it is quite easy to keep him entertained however he has the attention span of a gnat so it often took me longer to set up an activity than the time he spent doing it!!!! However Papa’s tractor and a pair of gardening gloves can keep him enthralled for hours so it’s just a case of finding the right things to do! I was suitably exhausted after a few days but so happy we could help out for a change. (FYI…Bailey was also exhausted after many many many Cooper cuddles) Our Coops turns two this coming week and is turning into a real little character who I think will be a lovely big brother….watch this space!

The frivolities and celebration of Xmas and Summer holidays eventually came to an end at the beginning of February and many people have turned to living with a tad less excess and more healthy eating and improved fitness. It isn’t too hard when we are surrounded by such tasty produce and I have found that the more appealing and colourful a dish is the more I am inclined to eat it! I challenge anyone to think this is boring…..!! The cooler weather has made a daily walk with Bailey a pleasure and we alternate between the beach, the river and the countryside for our various outings. As my recently tweaked meds seem to be working and are finally allowing me to breathe deeper I am attempting to increase the hills I walk up and although I am still out of breath when I do it I don’t feel I am in imminent danger of collapsing anymore so here is to a year of improving fitness and a few new challenges as well as eating a rainbow and trying new things. We may be down but we are definitely not out!!

With only one true lockdown under our belt and that spent with 5 adults and a baby we never actually got to the stage everyone was talking about – THE BIG CLEAN UP. Finally in the past few weeks we have actually attacked the garage, throwing out all those little cans of paint kept “just in case” and old crockery/pots/lampshades/sheets that you think the kids may want (incorrect assumption as they like to buy everything new!) and the odd box of paperwork from a business we sold 8 years ago! It felt good so we kept going and my office now looks quite zen and my bookshelves have been pared right back and are looking a little bit less ‘mad professor’ than before. I even cleaned out my emails – taking me well and truly down the rabbit hole of things that happened up to 15 years ago and reminding me of things both good and bad. I have the bit between my teeth now and have my wardrobe firmly in my sights. No need to keep all those tailored outfits and high heels from the old days at The Races or those black tie Balls that used to be all the rage. Not only do we not go to those kind of functions anymore they probably dont even fit me! So it’s time to be a bit ruthless and have a big chuck out and it does make you feel lighter and brighter when you pare things back. I could never be a minimalist and I am a very emotional and nostalgic person (ask the kids) therefore it goes without saying that there are still some folders and boxes with “special” things kept for prosterity and they bring back memories of things I would never otherwise remember so it is definitely worth it. It did however take me an entire day to go through the memory cupboard so I can totally relate to this…..