Stay Alert

Sorry, I could not resist the title.

It rained all night, although we still need more. My friend Jenny says that her farmer husband went out to watch the grass growing this morning!

I had intended a long walk, but it was wet and wild first thing. Also we were made to worry about the cats. First of all, Oscar made a terrible fuss about going out early. I opened the cat flap. (Usually he and I have a bit of a love-in while he eats his breakfast and I stroke him!) I did not see Daisy. She usually goes out and returns almost immediately.

Oscar came back, first with one bird and then another. Thankfully they were not the same species. He has been with us over two years and has never before brought any prey home. Daisy is the hunter. 

I was pretty unhappy. But where was Daisy? She is a home bird (sorry) and comes in and out all during the day. She did not come home until mid afternoon, by which time we were worried she was locked in a shed or squashed under a car. Silly us.

I went to Acomb to see the Martagon lilies. They are all in bud but not one flower has opened. I was glad to see J.O. who lives not far from us. He had his three collie bitches with him at the Meeting of the Waters. As you can see, this one was just waiting for the stick to be thrown. She was like a statue, then off like a shot.

The best one at retrieving the sticks from the water was the oldest! More experience I guess.

Tonight, we had a phone call from Spain. One of Mum's cousins has a daughter, Olivia, living there. Her father in Sunderland has died after falling downstairs at home and breaking his neck. He was 94. She said, "he had a very happy life".

Life in the Time of Covid
I listened to the Today programme on Radio Four this morning. Nick Robinson was interviewing Edward Agar, Minister of State for Health. Talking about the new quarantine for people travelling to the UK, Nick asked Mr A. to name any country in Europe that has a higher incidence of Covid 19 than the UK. He spoke a lot but did not answer. Three times. Subsequent questions were also avoided. GRR.

I had been unsure whether to write to my MP about Dominic Cummings, but I was so fired up that I did. I said that I was more concerned about the loss of trust in the government, whose integrity is in question, and the implications of this. I received a standard reply to say he had published his stance on DC and his family. I don't suppose he or his assistant actually read beyond the subject line. I have replied............

PS I'm trying not to show you wildflowers all the time in case some of you are bored with them. There may be more to come, but I'll try not to overwhelm you!