Spring has sprung

I'm feeling a little sore this evening as I have been digging at the allotment to try to get the patch cultivated. I should have done it much earlier, but it seems that the winter has flown by.

Indeed, this week has felt really spring-like with temperatures up above the mid teens and some sunshine to cheer us all up.

I've been working outside for a few days doing jobs around the garden, including cleaning the greenhouse and some planting and weeding.

Being outside, it's surprising what you are able to observe. There are signs of spring everywhere. The blackbirds are chasing each other around the garden, the male chaffinches have their best mating colours blazing and the rooks are ahead of everyone. This morning, I saw them landing in a large beech tree on The Causeway; they were tearing twigs off the end of branches and flying off to their rookery to build or repair their nests.

The other day, there was an odd incident when I was sitting having a cup of tea. One lone gull was flying east and one lone gull was flying west, almost on a collision course. I wondered what would happen … As they drew near, I heard one call to the other and the one that had been heading west, answered the call and then turned and fell in behind the other. Both of them headed east. I wonder what was said?

This evening, I am babysitting in Baldock. It hasn't gone as well as I hoped. Julia did not want to settle down and she cried and made herself sick. I'd only just bathed her and put on clean pyjamas. The PJs had to come off and go in the wash and I found some new ones. There's sick all over my pants and the carpet. I gave it a quick clean with a towel from the bathroom, but couldn't do much else because Julia needed attending to. She eventually went off to sleep, so fingers crossed she remains asleep until mum and dad come home. This isn't doing much for my reputation as a childminder.

I could murder a glass of wine or a nice chocolate bar ...

Yesterday, I was also on Julia-sitting duties. We had a nice day (no groups to attend), but we went to Tesco, then Tapps garden centre, then back for lunch. Julia wouldn’t have her usual post-lunch nap, so we went to the park instead and she fell asleep in the buggy when I was walking her up Weston Way to see Tom and Lucy’s new house (they move in early March). For dinner, I introduced her to Heinz spaghetti hoops, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

I normally look after Julia on Wednesdays and Margaret does Fridays. This week, she had a hospital appointment, so we did a swap. It looks as if she will need surgery to repair a hernia and also stop acid reflux from her stomach. I think we’ll hear in a few weeks.