Thoughts from Rosbercon

It really rained hard in the night, and for the first part of the morning, but this afternoon was lovely, so I spent some time in the garden and washed the car too. I would not have done so had not a child wiped ice cream on the door while it was in the car park.

Then all sorts of telephone calls, e-mails, knocks on door etc from friends and family until we settled down at nine to watch the Queen Camilla programme. She seems OK, but then I'm 62.

We had some good, soft rain this morning, and things are coming on a lot better in my veggie garden now. But it was fine enough in the afternoon for me to plant out some cabbage seedlings and hang out some washing too. Meantime we had various friends looking in for coffee, bridge, etc. And I even got time for some reading!

Well, it's a strange world we live in. The Irish Times referred to England having its usual Bank Holiday weather but where I live in Ireland we had very little rain. But don't despair: in the Republic we have our Bank Holiday next Monday. I'm sure it'll rain then,

What was the weather like in England today? Reading the forecast, I wondered if Michael Fish had been brought out of retirement for your Bank Holiday. Here the heavy rain and strong winds did not materialise, so I was able to get out and do a bit of hedge clipping, and plant some broccoli seeds. I have an awful feeling that the birds are attacking my runner bean seedlings.

Only twelve at church today. We had a lay reader from Co Wicklow, since both our readers were otherwise engaged, and our Rector has left us for foreign parts.

With the complicated election system here in Ireland, the results aren't yet clear, but it looks as if Bertie Ahern will still be in charge, though who he'll share power with isn't so clear. But I'm enjoying digesting the results.

While I was doing so the rain set in, or rather the drizzle did, so I rushed to get the washing in. I managed to get a bit of digging done in the garden as well, before watching the end of the Bristol Rovers/Shrewsbury game, and seeing an interesting goal.

Meanwhile a challenge looms. Our neighbour came home from some sea fishing yesterday with some juicy mackerel. And guess who'll be cooking them this evening (or trying to)?

Ah, the exciting life. As I said to a friend here, I enjoy being retired. But my wife's recently had a hip replacement, so I'm a househusband at the moment. I hadn't realised what hard work it was - cooking, shopping, washing, washing up, etc. We get a bit of help from neighbours, and the lady who cleans the Church is helping us with the cleaning here once a week, too. Friends and neighbours look in every day, so dull it isn't.

Meantime I have a large garden, and that seems to take up a lot of time. I've got a photograph of my dad in 1965, pottering away in the garden. We used to laugh at him: the old guy was 59 and he pottered away contentedly. Now I understand.

Meantime we had our general election today. I walked the ten minutes to the polling station, where there was a strange feel of emptiness - three bored officials and no voters. But what a choice. Eleven different candidates from six different parties after five seats. And you vote in order of preference: the digit one for your first choice, two for your second and so on. Ah, the excitement of democracy!

Another long session gardening, but how lucky we are to be in May. And here in Ireland I was working in the garden until ten, though by select intuition I turned the telly on briefly and saw two of the three goals.

And tomorrow, it's....Election Day. Ah, the excitement of it all.

A warm day here, and I spent two and a half hours in the garden, mainly heage trimming, which is not my favourite task. But at least the hedge looks OK now. And I fell asleep in front of the television as a result of my exertions. Still, it beats working, any day.

A lovely day here today. More progress in the garden and some pleasant social bridge too. I planted two rows of French beans. But it's sad reading some of the postings from England. No wonder the Aussies talk about "whingeing Poms". Blair's given them ten years of stability, low inflation, low unemployment and industrial peace, but they're still unhappy. OK, he's got involved in five or six wars, not least Iraq, which he won't live down, but will David Cameron do any better?

Who are we to talk, though? We have an election here in Ireland on Thursday, and our Taoiseach, Bertie, has also been in power since 1997. Could be he'll be around for a bit longer.

Our Church holds 850, and there were twelve of us present this morning. Ah the joys of the Church of Ireland - where we are it's more of a family than a community. After lunch did two hours in the garden on a sunny day. Trimmed a lot of hedge, and shored up potatoes. The turnips are coming through and the broad beans are doing well.

Not a bad day. Managed to complete the lawn mowing, and planted out some leeks as well. Tuned in to see the last few minutes of the English FA Cup Final. Oh dear, 0-0 after 90 minutes. So turned the set off, finished my gardening and switched on again. And Chelsea scored. I felt pleased for them after a difficult season.

Well, I won my bet. It was wet and windy today. But perhaps I only half won it because I got some lawn mowed after a convivial lunch with a neighbour. Another neighbour, the guy next door, was trimming his hedge and asked if he could come and trim my side as well. And I said yes! Aren't I a kind guy?

It reached 80F 27C indoors this afternoon and felt warm enough outside as I mowed my (new) lawn. There's still more to do and I'll bet it rains tomorrow so I can't finish it. But we've had a good day, with friends coming round for coffee and a chat this morning.

Meanwhile it's Ascension Day, so I'm off to the Proddie church where, it being Ireland, I suspect it'll be a case of "one or two (being) joined together". I'll pick up a Thai takeaway en route home afterwards. Enjoy your evenings.

April was dry here, and warm and sunny. I've mixed feelings. We had a new lawn laid, and it could have done with some rain. It's certainly got that in May. The grass has grown, and so have my broad beans, turnips and potatoes. The peas have not done as well, and the birds have virtually exterminated the cabbages and lettuces. Never mind. I planted some leeks today (a bit late?), and some courgettes too. Plenty of room for more, though.

My first message on a lovely sunny day here in south east Ireland. Must go out now and do some gardening.