under another sun

Another day of honest labour. Although slightly less arduous today. Lorraine and I got up early, and drove off to Burgess Hill where we recycled bags of soil, and then went to Dorton reclaim, reclamation yard by the station festooned with various bits of architectural salvage. A fascinating place. Lorraine and I bought large pieces of broken slabs there to use in the great garden design. Amazing photos to be taken there, if you weren't on a mission. Then home again, and carried the slabs down into the garden. Then the last of the black bags of soil off to the recycling by the racecourse, and then down to Lidl to do some shopping. It is definitely cheaper there, and there are things you can buy that aren't in sainsbury's. Then home, a feed, and then the complex business of laying the pieces on the membrane with sand under them, in preparation to be surrounded by a river of cobbles and pebbles. This done, tired at the end of the day, we simply sat on our patio and drank...

A gorgeous mild springlike day. Sprang out of bed early as Russ Shed, a plumber came to look at our ensuite bathroom which is need of help. We both liked him, and he seemed thorough and knowledgeable. A porridge breakfast after he went, and we found ourselves weeding the front garden before we zoomed off to Burgess Hill and Hateful Heath to look at bathroom furniture and tiles. A Japanese style toilet in one of them. After this, we hung curtains and lampshades from yesterday. Varieties of house business. In the evening Beth and John came around. Lorraine cooked a giant chicken and leek pie as a special request, and we had a really nice evening in, eating pie and playing endless games of cards. John and Lorraine won the euchre, and Beth and I were very encouraging and pleased for them. Then Uno at some length, while listening to music and drinking various drinks. A really cheery night, till they caught the last bus home and we sloped happily off to bed. Below a sign in the tile sho...