August…ing

 August has been a quiet month for us. Here’s what we have been doing:

Looking after Alfie.  He has had ‘the op’ since his amorous moves on other dogs of either sex on walks were becoming embarrassing.  He felt a bit sorry for himself for a while but is now back to normal.  

Going to open garden events and buying plants.  I’m experimenting to see what grows in my garden which  is very dry in places, especially with the recent drought. This astrantia likes moist shade but seems happy enough in the spot I’ve chosen.

Combatting the drought by using washing up water to water my canna lily.  It doesn’t seem to object. I’ve been putting the  bath plug in and saving water when I shower too though carrying watering cans down the stairs is a bit much. 

Going to the Empire Theatre in Liverpool with Kate to see ‘Book of Mormon’.  It really is an impressive building - I love the ceiling.  I enjoyed the show - very entertaining and it was good to see one of my former students on stage. 

Visiting the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and going to this exhibition. I liked the self portrait by local artist Gary Sollars and the satirical portrayals of Trump and our ex-PM by the Singh Twins.

Pleased to see the bees in my garden but sad that there are so few butterflies - just the occasional white.  I snapped this tortoiseshell in a garden centre on Sunday. First one I’ve seen this year.  And no peacocks or red admirals at all.

Eating outside in the cool of the August evenings. Kate has been at home all of August.  She’s now moved out as she starts her teaching job later this week. She’s persuaded me to download a new app called Be Real as another way of keeping in touch. The idea is that instead of posting posed idealised images of your life, you share what you are really doing/ look like.  You get a notification and are supposed to take post your image within two minutes. So that’ll be me walking the dog or hanging out washing.