In Abundance

 

Returning from a week away we have been welcomed by an abundance. Unfortunately not all abundances are welcome equally.

 

 

The fruit and vegetables were appreciated, less so the multitude of wasps helping themselves to the profusion of apples and plums. Then, of course, there was the big job of watering everything, although luckily there had been some rain during our absence and the water butts were brimming once again.

Where, however, have all those cats suddenly appeared from? It seems they've taken advantage of our being away to add the garden to their territorial claims. Talk about an invasion; the battle to regain our land and expel unwanted visitors has begun.

Finally there was the mountain of work (a dirty word in retirement). It wasn't just fruit picking for which I had to don leather gloves to protect against buzzing insect life but also, now that the temperature has cooled, the pressure is on to complete our current unfinished project of  restoring the rear patio before the summer weather breaks completely. 

Today I've been knocking out old, broken mortar with a chisel and hammer. They're not tools I'm familiar at handling, but I confess it felt almost exhiliarating to apply so much effort in the act of manual labour. Of course Mister E appeared on the scene and stole the show with a fancy electrical tool that cut straight through, but not before I got to understand how those Protestants with their work ethic used to feel. I doubt if I earned myself eternal salvation but it was certainly sufficient to have the biceps squealing.