Much better day and I can stand the heat.

Oh what fun!! I had not played with Picasa's 'collage creator' before and here is one I made earlier. I put in 5 photos but it obviously likes more, hence the duplication.

I was intending at some stage to 'blog' the hovering-hoverfly anyway. What appeals is that his/her wings are visible. Usually the wingbeat is so fast that one can't actually see them. With the 'collage' one can choose from a variety of formats from 'pile of pictures' to 'picture grid' which is what this one is. More experimentation calls!!

Hasn't the crocosmia come out while I've been away? The garden has suffered through nothing being watered etc., but we have had more pressing concerns. Y worked hard in the garden this morning cutting out Yucca flower stems with her trusty pruning saw. She says they were like pieces of wood. And not only gardening, and loads of washing, she has been in sole charge of catering. We have decided that we have had a convenient 'changing point' thrust upon us and we are intending in future to share the cooking; basically doing alternate days. And when it is a Y day I am not to interfere but simply eat what I am given. We did eat overlarge portions. And I really do realise that I must change my lifestyle.

I feel so much better today and haven't been sick, even once. Debra rang to see how I am and I was charmed to hear that Elli had asked how many 'sleepovers' I had had in the hospital? Bless her. I was excited this morning, to see what I thought was a family of young thrushes emerging from the large conifer in the rear garden. Closer inspection with my binoculars though revealed them to be young starlings. No matter! I have a soft spot for starlings - they are so cheeky. Pam Ayres put her finger on their essential quality with her line "I am a starling mi darlin". The sparrow hawk was here again this morning but empty taloned. I'd love to get a photograph but I don't really fancy my chances.

Bob's 'list of items from Aldi' in his yesterday 'blog comment' did indeed make me laugh, as it was intended to. To go from blood-pressure monitor to essential crackers was a hoot. There is no doubt that I am resuming my normal cheeriness. I shall soon feel up to blogging the garden-party pictures !

Last night I had drifted off to sleep but my radio was still on and something made me 'surface'. It was 'book at bedtime' and as I listened to it I thought "this is astonishingly well written". It was Summer Crossing by Truman Capote. Weird guy, but he could certainly write a decent line or English......................