Outside

At lunchtime I went outside to pull out one buttercup from the border (I could see it from the window and it was annoying me). I didn't come back in for about three hours. Such a lovely afternoon pottering and no pressing deadlines, so I thought I would make the most of the sunshine. 

Our garden is large and a bit wild. I've tamed parts of it, but not all. The front garden is looking more or less how I want it to, but I know I'll never conquer the back!

These flowers are so useful and they seem to grow anywhere, and spread each year. 

I had a great time in Manchester doing lots of the city things that I miss: theatre, art galleries, coffee shops (and a lot of chat with my great friend). It has recharged my batteries. We did not do much shopping (and I barely took any photos), but after R had caught her train home I had a couple of hours to spare, and I went to a huge Waterstones where I had a really long browse. I found this book:

It is not really a cookery book. Well, it is, but that isn't its main purpose. It has lots of diary extracts, illustrations, gorgeous paintings and detail about the lives of the Bloomsbury Set. It kept me rapt for my entire three hour train journey home. It is expensive but I would recommend it. It's the most beautiful book I've seen for a long time, yet there is lots to read too, and it's written in a very accessible way.