I haven't done much gardening since the myeloma struck. The garden was already getting a bit too big for us to manage alone and we've employed gardeners to help ease the load for all the time we've been here. Twice-yearly hedge cutting, if nothing else, gives them plenty to do.
Yesterday I charged up my cordless trimmer and attacked the box hedge at the front. It had grown enough to obscure the view to the right when turning out of our drive, and something had to be done to restore the lines of sight. I hope I've done enough. Our current gardener, like all those before him, seems to have trouble understanding the instruction to be vicious with trimming hedges, with the result that they are gradually taking over.
Gentle rain started as I was finishing the hedge trimming. So I retreated inside and made poached eggs for lunch.
The back lawn seemed dry enough to cut, so I attacked it with the new electric-start lawnmower. Light rain started about halfway through the job, but I finished the back grass (apart from fiddly bits around the edges which I now leave to the gardener with his strimmer) and did the bit down the side as well. That includes another hedge that needs a vicious cut-back. If it dies, it dies and we'll just plant something else. Or maybe nothing at all.
Anyway, I've had a fair day's work in the garden, and it's good to know that I'm still capable of it.
Pre-myeloma I decided the most efficient way to do the back lawn and its various obstructions was diagonally. One way, and then the opposite diagonal next time - longer runs and fewer 180 degree turns. None of our gardeners has taken up that suggestion - they all want to do straight up and down...
Doing more garden work (now that I feel more capable of it than I did last year) is a definite plus for me psychologically as well as freeing up gardener time for other things..
The draws for the Ongar Boules awards have come through. In the Singles first round I'm against a guy I've payed against before in a friendly and I know he's good. I expect elimination in the first round
I'm paired with him in the Doubles. He might be good enough to get us through the first round if I can play half decently in support....
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