Belly Laughs

I’m trying to catch up on some of my magazine reading and have just read Woman’s Weekly Fiction Special from March – yes, you see how far behind I am!  As ever there were some wonderful stories in amongst the pages – especially from my favourites, Teresa Ashby, Wendy Clarke and Joanna Campbell. I also enjoyed the story by Linda Povey, who is part of an online writer’s group I used to be a member of.

But what really made me laugh out loud was Jane Wenham-Jones’ description of getting stuck in a dress she was trying on and having to call a friend to get her out of it.  What amused me most was not her predicament, but the fact that it took me back to a time when a similar thing happened to me.

Not long after my youngest was born, I was going to a wedding and needed a new dress.  I went into a shop, much posher than I would normally dream of entering, and saw a beautiful dress on a hanger.  Unfortunately for me the dress looked much nicer on the hanger than it did on me so I decided that it was a non-starter.  The only problem was when I tried to take it off, it had cleaved to me like a second skin and was not going anywhere.  My throat went dry, my heart started to beat faster and I could feel the sweat starting to slick as the seams on the dress stretched to the point of bursting.  I had visions of me ending up with a ripped dress and either having to sneak it back in the shop or having to buy it anyway.

Eventually, though, I did manage to get it off, and in one piece, and it was only then that I realised there was a zipper on the side which would have prevented me from doing the changing room work out!

Funnily enough, I haven’t been back to that shop since.

The Merrie Month of May

Oh I love the month of May.  One of the reasons is because it’s the month of my birthday, although I have to admit that as the years creep up, it’s not quite as exciting as it used to be.  I try not to look on my birthday as a reminder of the advancing years, but use it as an excuse to spoil myself.  If you can’t kick back on your birthday then when can you?

 

But the main reason I love May is the weather.  The nights draw out, the weather gets warmer (in theory) and finally, after the dark days of winter we can reconnect with the outside world again. 

And the first few days of May have been a blessing.  Although it’s a bit cloudier today, the forecast for the Bank Holiday is good (fingers crossed).  The only downside to being in the outside world again though, is that I can no longer deny the shambles which is my garden. 

Gardening to me is like housework – I hate doing it but love the results.  When I say gardening, what I really mean is weeding. I never seem to manage to finish the weeding before I have to start again. 

Over the last few days I have been tackling the front. As I live in an open plan estate, it is the part that shames me most as everyone can see the level of neglect.  I’m nearly finished and it’s looking so much better that it’s given me the incentive to keep going.

Maybe this year, now that I have more time at home, I might be able to make some progress. Who knows, I might even get the time to plant something!

Whatever, I’m hoping that at least we’ll get some good enough weather for me to sit outside without looking at the weeds and feeling guilty.

Fingers crossed that the predicted hot weather in May becomes a reality.  It will be nice to have a summer that lasts more than just a few days.