While cutting the grass

I’ve been a little remiss of late, neglecting my blog a tad and also the blogs of people in this ‘blogosphere’ that I’ve come to enjoy and look forward to reading, learning from and laughing with (also sometimes sharing a little sorrow with at times). The reasons are perhaps more complicated and entwined with each other than I originally thought, but for now it’s sufficient to say that my absence without leave is over and normal service (that’s if you think that my musings are normal?) shall be resumed.

The realisation of my negligence actual hit me whilst I was cutting the front lawn the other day. Sometimes, I find, it’s whilst doing the mundane chores that I have more clarity of thought. So there I am, grazing the almost green lawn, mulling over the last few days and my intentions for the days ahead when I glance at the side gate to be confronted by the most mournful, reproachful look that Lucy could have possibly have given. The sort of look that hit me right between the eyes and said “Oi, don’t you think that it’s high time that you got off your ever expanding, hairy ass, and got ‘out there’?”, “Oh and take me with you!”. Now it’s not that I’ve been neglecting my four legged nemesis, she’s been walked every day without fail, around suburbia that is. It’s just that with work, trying to install a new aquarium, endeavouring to learn about and tend my new found interest in growing food (in an incredibly small space), figuring out more ways to cut my outgoings, blah, blah, blah the list just seems to go on forever with there seemingly just not enough time for living.

Yep, Lucy was right, I had slowly stopped living during the past few weeks and was just maintaining an existence, bugger that! thought I and without further ado I grabbed me haversack and the keys of the fun cruiser, and promptly realised that the full load area wanted unloading of crap, which would have taken at least a full hour. 5 minutes later we’re heading out of Buckley towards the hills, the back still full of said crap, Lucy firmly ensconced on the passenger seat (don’t tell plod or Clare for that matter!), AC/DC making the speakers bounce (oh and I do mean bounce) and that Jonny Cash smile on my face, you know the one; the shit eatin' don't give a damn smile.

The walk was nothing really to write here about, enough to say that the sun was high and warm, the buzzards circled just within sight and the previous days rain ensured that the bog monster was well and truly back in her element, as was I. We trundled home knackered and fulfilled, the CD player silent for once as we enjoyed the setting sun in my rear view mirror, just the hum of the fun cruiser's diesel engine keeping the rhythm. Sometimes it takes a quite word from your dog to bring you back to what’s important, there’ll be plenty of time for the other stuff some other time, maybe when it’s raining?

Your friend,

John

Footnote: I must have left the house a little rushed, not unlike a certain Bilbo Baggins, for when we eventually pulled up on the drive the lawnmower was where I’d left it, about halfway along the lawn, so I finished that off the next day, oh and the gate was left ever so slightly ajar (well wide open) and finally I missed my dentist appointment – oops. But at least I’d got some balance back, and you do need balance in your life if you’re going to live it and not just exist it. So my apologies for my absence, and I hope that you’ll enjoy my future musings as I’m sure that I’ll once again enjoy yours. Oh and that passenger seat didn't half take some cleaning after the return journey, curse that sodden hound, curse her....