Tales From The Crypt - Monday 2nd August 2021

Today my youngest son is 19 and we'll be out celebrating that this evening, to what extent we'll celebrate during the day depends when my sons choose to emerge from sleep.

After the first carer's early morning call I start my day with a walk and then return for breakfast and to prepare for son #3's birthday celebrations.

Whilst out walking, despite being accompanied by music all the war around, my mind finds time and space to remind me how disconnected I feel.  Interludes of connection seem only to serve to highlight how disconnected from people I am for the majority of the time. Perhaps the two or three recent periods of connectedness are an early echo foreshadowing better things to come?

My morning calm was interrupted by the arrival of the guy who usually trims our hedges and trees. Initially I'm reluctant, because I know how much it'll cost, however I also know it needs doing: the hedges by the pavement have gone crazy, narrowing the pathway in places and the trees at the bottom of the garden have grown crazily and probably need to lose three foot, at least.  The other downside is that whilst he's trimming stuff down, I'll not be able to relax and won't until he's paid and gone.  Given that no one else is up yet and that the forecast i not looking good over the next couple of weeks, I decide it's a now and never and he sets about the job, aided by one of his sons.

At some point during the process sons began to emerge and, in the latter stages, son #1's gf arrived to join us in celebrating son #3's birthday this evening.  There will be six of us tonight, including the gfs of sons 1 and 3.

The hedges and trees are finally done and the van is full to the top with greenery from our garden - I'd hate to think how much there is.

Finally all three sons are up and we undertake the present and card giving ceremony with son #3, trying to involve their mum as much as is possible these days.

After the present-giving, I decided it was about time I cut the grass - the garden looks so much better with the hedges cut back that it's now the grass that's letting it down.  As rain is threatened, I set to and get on with it.

A bit later we have a very light lunch - no point having much as we'll be at the restaurant in less than four hours - and after that we do the birthday cake ritual, all having a slice, even me, the man who dislikes almost all forms of cake (especially sponge cake - aaarrggh!), though I did ensure I had a very small slice.

Amongst all the above I found time to write my review of 'The Mermaid Of Black Conch', ready for posting tomorrow after the book club has met to discuss it and get a few other boring things organised.

Ironed a shirt, 'Skulls (The Sequel)', got changed for going out and listened to music whilst waiting for the minibus/taxi to pick the six of us up.

Great meal at the Lebanese (chain) restaurant - it was pretty quiet so we got our choice of table by the window with the river behind us.  It was a fun place to celebrate son #3's birthday, his second to last night with us before he goes off on holiday to Brighton with his gf on Wednesday.  In contrast we'll be going to the tip then.

Next stop bed and sleep via poetry and music.

Sonic Youth / 'On The Strip' / 'Dirty'

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