Postal Rage

Get your walking boots on, this post may ramble a bit. Do not despair, it will get to the point in its own sweet time.

Our front lawn is goosed. Or at least, it was. Early in the holidays I got caught at home by a rep from Green Thumb who quoted such a ridiculously cheap price for treating the lawn that I couldn't refuse. We have spent more than that in the past buying Feed and Weed and trying to sort it out. I didn't really expect it to work, but in the 5 weeks since it was treated, most of the weeds in the front (and believe me there were many) have grown out completely and the grass itself is looking very lush. I don't suppose the sogginess that was the British Summer did it any harm, either.

However (you knew there'd be one, didn't you?) the growth spurt and subsequent death throes of the weeds have left some bare patches, so at the beginning of this month we flung some seed down and waited for the sparrows to eat them all.

They haven't. They've been far too busy having dust baths in the front flowerbed, which is currently resting before being planted up.

Anyway, where was I?

Oh yes, reseeding the lawn. The other downside is that we can't really mow the lawn until the bald patches have seeded up a bit (10 to 14 days). We mowed it really short just before we seeded it. On Saturday, a week after a very short mow, I measured it.

3 inches.

I kid you not.

Heaven knows what Green Thumb have treated it with, but at the rate it's growing, we will lose Stella in it sometime this week.

So why postal rage?

Well, this sudden growth spurt means the grass is long enough to leave tell-tale signs when the postie walks across the lawn because he is too lazy to go back down the drive and round the garden (we live on a corner plot and the next house is some yards behind us - obviously the 30 seconds he saves cutting across the lawn is vital).

This is one of A's particular bug bears. He is currently toying with a couple of ideas to stop this transgression - either blocking the gap between house and shrubs with a berberis (very prickly) or with anti-personnel mines. I think the second is a little drastic, but it's currently his favourite option.

And me?

Well, it narks me a little too, but then every now and again, the postie will do something to redeem himself in my eyes, as he did today...

with a parcel from my Secret Pal, which he posted through the cat flap. So you mean to say your postie doesn't?

So, squeals of excitement all round, although not, I suspect, from the cats. Especially Lilly, who greeted me outside the front door with a particularly hacky look...

Wanna see what I got?

Some gorgeous yarn in a lovely combination of blues and greens that can't really be appreciated via a monitor.

The green is much more vibrant in real life. There was also an interesting box ...

...that was full of...

..stitchmarkers, made by my secret pal in green and purple.

There are 26 and I'm not sure what they are made from, but they aren't just glass beads, it looks like she has made them with Fimo or something similar. And they're glittery! (appeals to my inner princess...)

And what was in the bubble wrap, I hear you cry?

Well, something I adore but just can't get here...

If I don't blog for a while it's because I'm overdosing on Peanut Butter Cups ... mmm.... mmmm...

Thank you SP, what a brilliant parcel!