Hello lovely Kitcheners
Missed you soop- sorry I'm late today. Pleased to see that you are maybe considering some help. Beefiness is very important in a garden, if only for the worst and most difficult jobs. You do need to take care of yourselves. Also, of course, you will need to take a break and go somewhere nice. Difficult decisions.
Have been out today and been very busy - including a little maintenance trip to the Doc. Enough said about that. Just throw together a few words and make your own drama out of it - no masks, stupidity, smoking, fidgeting, selfishness. I thought by the time I had seen our lovely Doc., I might have to be stretchered into the consulting room. She was so lovely, when I said "what IS the matter with some of your patients?" She said that she felt they were just too slow and too selfish to see how their selfishness impacted on the rest of society.
Must repeat my foray into the Pharmacy though. It was the stuff of French farces. Enter Pharmacy, filled with lovely staff all wearing masks and spotless uniforms. Use hand cleanser in doorway, take mask if you don't have one, wait in allocated spot for place at the counters. Meanwhile man arrives - presumably oblivious to the fact that his world is now filled with people whose faces he cannot see. 
He's intercepted by staff who tell him, no, he can't come in without a mask. He doesn't have one? She gives him one. He leaves, muttering! I am being served by the owner, next to me a nice lady in mask, when on my other side, a guy comes up to be served, hunts around in his pocket for his prescription. I look, he has no mask ......and he also has a big dog on a lead!!!! Clearly rules have no impact on him whatsoever. Pharmacy owner's expression is priceless. It is a French 'thing' which decrees "rules are for other people" but I think they need to change their ways if we are to stay out of lockdown.
You have no idea how impressed I am at all that you have achieved, dragonfly. Talk about determined! Your Daughter needs to give you both a medal. You've saved his sight in that eye!! I'm thrilled for Dexter. Would it be cheeky to suggest that you leave his collar on, certainly when he's alone? If it doesn't bother him and he might be tempted to just scratch or get up to mischief, it would be absolutely tragic and so very difficult for you (and him) if he damages his eye after all that has happened. If it were me, I'd think that his life must be so much better now, that I'd want to leave it on until he went home! Whatever you do, I hope you get more time to yourselves now and much less stress.
Is this the week when all the sweetest little chaps are being wheeled out for us to see? What a little darling Susan. It's not surprising you miss your GC's with tots like that to cuddle and spoil. Beautiful photograph and he looks like a real little character. Hope little Henry is gradually showing some improvement and great to hear that you've got some support (finally!).
Think you might just be being good, Cherry. Do sincerely hope so - I can see how you might be put off by some smarty trousers GP's attitude, but you honestly mustn't tough it out if you really hurt yourself. Promise? Relieved for you that the horrible indigestion has gone, purplepixie. Heartburn, reflux, hernia pain, oesophagitis - all truly awful. Take care of your tum cos when it's bad you feel bad all over.
Nannytopsy. Yuck, how I hate ticks. Used to have a problem where we lived surrounded by fields and endless long grass. Do you use one of those magic little plastic fork things to twiddle them out instantly? At one stage I used to carry one of those in my handbag - don't think it helped much to erase my aura of country bumpkin, though.
I'm about to eat some fresh asparagus. Really fond of that for supper. I shall leave a few glasses of wine out for you all. There's pineapple juice or San Pellegrino fizzy water for those giving up the grape. Enjoy your evening everyone, keep smiling, keep positive and keep safe. Hugs from France x
Cheers!
. Whenever the weather is just right enjoy it ?