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Thursday 24 July 2014

View from my studio . .

As GM and I were enjoying a leisurely cuppa on the deck the other morning we were rudely interrupted by what sounded like a chainsaw starting up very close by, so, hazarding a quick guess as to what was about to happen, I dashed up to my studio to take a "before" photo.


Please excuse the poor quality of the photo, it was taken through the glass of the window, which is very, very mucky (note to self : get studio windows cleaned!)

My guess was correct, our two-doors-away-round-the-corner neighbours were having their very tall and close to the house conifer felled. This is great news for us as this tree, although not a problem during the summer months when the sun is high in the sky, would cast long shadows over our garden during the winter months.

I was also excited because as a child I was a tomboy and just loved climbing trees, also my eldest son DO was a tree surgeon until he gave up work to be a fulltime SAHD, and watching a professional tree surgeon in action gives me all sorts of thrills (is that sad?). So I sat in my studio doing my stuff, and every now and again just turned to look out of the window and watch progress.







The job was done and dusted in an hour and a half, and although my view is somewhat different I'm still happy as it means that during the winter months our garden will hopefully benefit from more sunshine (that's if we have any!)


Sunday 13 July 2014

Neighbours

When we lived in Surrey we were very lucky to have Jim and Diane living next door to us for several years - do you know I cant remember how many, but I know they left in 2002 to emigrate to New Zealand. I don't think they left because of us (but you never know). However, while they were with us they were great neighbours and we had lots of fun with them, and probably consumed vast quantities of alcohol with them too.

We were quite sad to see them go, but off they went to New Zealand to make a new life for themselves. Since they left we have spoken on the phone a couple of times and exchanged emails and Christmas cards. We weren't really expecting to see them again, but quite out of the blue a couple of weeks ago we had an email, they were in UK, and would be passing almost by our front door on their way from Devon back to London, could they pop in and see us? Well of course they could, why on earth not?

So last weekend they turned up, looking exactly as they had done 12 years ago! Diane had a very slight kiwi accent but apart from that they were just as we had known them, and it was as if it was only a month or so since we had last been together. Isn't that a sign of true friendship?

They'll be heading back to NZ in two weeks time and I guess it will be at least another 12 years before we see them again. Thanks for popping in, you two, and bon voyage (again).