Anyone remember honesty?

I spend a bit of time playing word games on line.  I’m struck by the number of adverts for miracle cures for everything from peripheral neuropathy, toenail fungus, obesity, erectile dysfunction and skin complaints.  One that cropped up yesterday was for a patch that would give you an instant golden tan.  I just cleared the 56 spam messages from my inbox, telling me of missed deliveries, gambling wins, bounced payments, and of course miraculous penile enhancement.  Most times the phone rings it’s ’Bank security department’ or someone offering me a job interview.  There have been lots of AI announcements purportedly from Martin Lewis, Richard Branson and even Keir Starmer offering get-rich-quick schemes.  More sinister altogether is an advert, purportedly from the BBC, promoting lies from Farage.  The miracle weight loss patches are typically branded as Boots or Superdrug, inter alia.

I suppose we have the world of politics to blame for the extinction of honesty and integrity.  Right back from 1960s political philosophy classes, I still struggle with the question ‘why do we value democracy?’   Discuss.

Silver linings

The issue that led to our cancelling our cruise turned out to be less serious than we thought.  Remains to be seen whether the insurance will pay up.  

The other good news is that we get to see the garden at its best.  The roses are coming into flower, the rhododendrons are looking great, and sowings of sweet peas and nasturtiums have germinated.  So too have the tomatoes, though we sowed too late to expect much of a crop.  Our little rosemary hedge is looking good: Ben clipped it down a bit last week to encourage it to keep bushing out.  The cornus and willow are sprouting well after Ben’s and my efforts to hack down last year’s growth, so we should have plenty of colour next winter.  The roses have responded remarkably well to a top dressing of muck, and even without that, Queen Elizabeth has nearly grown past the top of the kitchen window: astonishing, since it is growing in next to nothing in a tiny bed on the terrace.

We’re using our unexpected free time to catch up with friends: tea with a local friend tomorrow, and I’m meeting ex-beak colleagues in a week or so’s time.  It’s a shame we’ve missed a chance to get together with the friends from Wakefield we met on another cruise years ago, but plan a trip to Yorkshire in the summer, and will hope to catch up then.

The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley

 For reasons I’ll maybe come back to in due course, we have cancelled our stay in the floating care home.  We’re sad not to be getting together again with our friends from Wakefield: maybe another time.  

Well, I guess we’ll get to enjoy the garden, which is at its best in May and June.  Nasturtiums and sweet peas are germinating, as is the rocket, and I shall sow some tomatoes in the hope of a late crop.  Too late for first early spuds, though, so we’ll have to rely on Fortnums.

Spring at last

The recent warm weather - and Ben’s administration of three cubic meters of muck - have kicked the garden into action.  The climber Arthur Bell is flowering vigorously, Blue for You will be next, and Geoff Hamilton, aka Edna, in whose memory we planted it, is beginning to show colour.  More recently planted, Diamond Days Forever (Michael), Ingrid Bergman (Rowena) and Phab Gold (Tim).  Round the side, the viburnum is looking terrific, and Compassion (Margaret) is doing well.  Hope this doesn’t sound too morbid: I like to think of people we miss through beautiful things that I can look after, rather than with cut flowers that go in the compost after two day.  Must look out for something to remember Mary by: it’ll have to be strong and in yer face!

Sweet peas seem to be germinating, as is rocket.  Parsley and nasturtium are taking their time.  We shall have fewer apples this year - probably just as well, since we’re still slowly working our way through last year’s bumper crop.  We haven’t started spuds or tomatoes this year, since we shall be away when they’re in most need of attention.  I’ll do a late sowing of tomatoes, and hope for the best.

We’re looking forward to a lazy couple of weeks in the floating care home, though we’re a bit anxious about the fact that our cabin is just above the galley!  But we’re looking forward to seeing new places, and even more to seeing old friends we met years ago on another Mediterranean cruise.  Watch this space!