1st May 2022 Another busy day.

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 Sunday 1st May. 42F, bright overcast with glimpses of sunshine. One month since my wife died. Up at 6.30 after an 11pm bed time. I'm trying to confuse the odd old fellow into getting up at a civilised hour. My back hurts! [Again.]

 May 1st is a Sunday and a "special day." The shops may be doubly shut. Will he starve? Or go on to achieve greater things?  I am reliably informed that both the nearest supermarkets will be open. I feel a short, trike ride coming on.

 Being a Sunday the recycling yards are all closed. Except for the garden waste areas. Quantities of such, suitable materials, I now seem to sorely lack. So keen was I to be rid of all evidence of my crimes against gardening. Will he find something else to do? Perhaps something [slightly] less destructive? 

 There are still two layers of net fencing inside the beech hedge. Erected to keep cats out of the front garden. With both ends now wide open the cats have already entered their former "No Cat's Land." 

 The strangely splodged, ginger and black cat came back for cream yesterday. I happened to have some. So it had a lucky day. Though not a great appetite. I left the remains for other cats to pass on their germs.

 I was just treated to an aerial display by assorted small birds. They were foraging for insects in my wife's "pencil" conifer. A colourful male Bullfinch and male Goldfinches were amongst them. Does one capitalise the names of bird species? I haven't a clue. [About most things.] 

 Still, it was lucky I saved the tree from harm. It would have been too bare without it. The two trees I left in place are offset, to left and right, from the dormer window. So go unseen unless I go close to the window. Nor do they block the view to anything of vital importance. Like the post van. Which reminds me: I need a new post for the post box. Confused? 

 7.45 Time for a walk!  

 My wife's cowslips are still hanging on.

 9.30 52F. A 75 minute walk this morning. Up to the woods, a dog leg through the trees and then the final descent by the direct route. I saw a hare and two deer. The wind wasn't quite so cold today. 

 11.30 58F. I have just returned from a shopping trip on the trike. Despite being heavily loaded with tinned goods I took the long, hilly way home. About ten miles in total. Against a headwind on the way back once I had escaped the forest.  

 Going remarkably well considering my very low mileage over the last year or more. I was maintaining low to mid 90s cadence. Several groups and pairs of cyclists were enjoying the sunshine. Though it was still rather cool. 

 15.30 59F. With the front, beech hedge cut back so drastically. The fence lower down was completely out of line. Our hero set about lifting the posts and netting. Then cutting the intermediate hedge back. Before moving the fence back into line. More or less. It needs a proper post on the end to allow some serious tension. 

 Some pretty and Daffs my wife had planted in the deep shade of a large Hazel. The tulips are yet to open on the right.

 I raked the beech leaf litter into the drainage trench to avoid anyone tripping. I may have to import some compost to do it safely. Provided (occasional) heavy rainfall runs onto the field, then there is no real need for a trench.

 The drought is ongoing. So I watered my wife's plants [still in dozens of pots] out on the back garden. It has been dry for so long I have little hope of their survival. 

None are labelled. There is precious little sign of any green leaves or shoots. I don't even now if they had anything planted in them.

I went over the underside of the huge Horse Chestnut with the chainsaw. Removing everything anywhere near head height. For years I have been walking into low hanging branches.

 Despite all the exercise and weight lifting I am getting noticeably thinner. I was quite surprised to see the change in my arms and legs in the bath. It's certainly not a lack of food. 

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