as I was saying

As I was saying last time, sad things happen. You get older and lose touch with friends or family. Years later, you find yourself saying 'I wonder what happened to her? We used to get along so well'.

And sometimes death comes all of a sudden, and the people who are left behind aren't ready for it. That's a hard thing to handle. It's even harder if you think 'I wish I'd told him this', or 'we were always going to have a day out together' or 'I should have visited him more'. And the worst thing of all is if you've had some falling out and never made it up.

Send a card, send an e-mail, pick up the phone. Go and say 'hi, how are you?' Do something daft together. Have fun. If they don't want to know, at least you've tried.

On a lighter note, I still don't know what to dress up as for Red Nose Day. Rose suggested a butterfly, which sounds lovely, but might be too difficult. Oldest god-daughter think a fairy godmother would be good, but it might not be practical to wear while supervising a room full of very small people. A pirate is a possibility (but is it a good role model?) Or maybe I'll wear white and stick red bobbles all over it.

Any more thoughts?

Still don't know

I still don't know what to wear for our dressing up day. It has to be something obvious. Robin Hood? A cat might be good.

The river is chattering away today, and little irises are coming up in the garden. There are buds everywhere. It's waking up.

Before I go on, I have to confess. I was only going to have a coffee before shopping in Marks's today, but in a terrible moment of weakness I had carrot cake with it. And in Lent, too. I really, honestly, won't do it again.

Next time I'll try the almond croissant.

I've just been clearing a lot of space on the sitting room floor to make room for about ten yards of tulle (net sort of stuff), which Lady Sunshine and I are are cutting out to make little bags for wedding favours. At least, I've been cutting out, she's been addressing invites and eating Marmite crisps. She loves Marmite and Lovely Older Son hates it, so I'm most impressed that they've stayed together. Love conquers all, even Marmite. (American readers - it's yeast extract, I think it's similar to Vegemite. Love it or hate it.)

One more thing. I you've fallen out with anyone, make it up. Don't put it off. If you've lost touch with somebody, an old friend or relation, send them a card, or e-mail them. Don't leave things unsaid. More of this next time.

stormy

The harsh high wind storming through the valley yesterday nearly knocked me over. But it's nothing compared to the danger of tsunami that we're hearing about now. Those of you who pray, please pray for those people in Japan and the Pacific.

But good things are happening, and those are real and important, too. For those of you in the US who don't know about Comic Relief (Red Nose Day) I will be doing toddlers and after school club in fancy dress next week to raise money for vital work in Africa and in the UK. Hopefully the children will be dressing up, too, or I'll look even sillier than usual. And for when I'm not in costume I have my RND T-shirt with a picture of Shakespeare wearing a red nose.

At present I have no idea what to dress up in, and I don't want to hire a costume so it'll have to be made out of whatever bits and pieces I have around the house. And I have to be able to wear it while managing a lot of small children.

I still have the basics of a cow suit - head, hooves and tail. Might wear that.

Any ideas? Please? I really need them.

www.rednoseday.com

Much

Bloomin' 'eck, she's at it again, and it aint properly spring yet. 'Er and Stephen, that's the gardener, off they went to that gardening place yesterday and come back with a 'ole lot of stuff for planting. Stephen got stuck in (Stephen, mark you, not 'er ladyship) and started planting up a flower border. And they've put some nice stuff in me rockery, that'll look very pretty if the wind and rain don't flatten it and the slugs don't gobble down the lot.

He's put a little yellow primrose just where I can see it, which is thoughtful of 'im. Makes a change from looking at the compost heap.


Thank you, Much. Very Much. One of the things we want to put in is pink sea thrift. I never thought of growing it in a garden, but Stephen suggested it and immediately I remembered walking on the springy turf of Lindisfarne (Holy Island) when I was a little girl, and seeing sea thrift everywhere. And, of course, it has precious Mistmantle connections.

Hm.

this and that

Deep yellow crocuses coming out in the garden and little blue grape hyacinths. It's been dry for a while, so the river is a long way down.

Busy week last week, wedding shopping with Lady Sunshine and The Lassie, physio, theatre with best friend, and lots of this and that.

In the middle of all this thissing and thatting, I passed the tiny bookshop in the wee town near us, and there in the window was The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Now, there is a book I have longed to re-read. It's a children's book, and I think I was ten when I first read it, but is a brilliant read at any age. Every time you read it, it gets better.

AND while I was in there I asked if James Thurber's wonderful 'The Thirteen Clocks and the Wonderful O' is still in print. Whoopee, it is, and it's now on order. (Honestly, I don't usually buy books at this rate.) I forget how old I was when I first read it but I know it nearly asphyxiated me because I laughed so much I couldn't breathe.

Any other favourites? Anyone?

Aspen's garden

This is just a quick update as I'm aware we've been blogless for a few days. All sorts of stuff happening - a trip to the theatre in Sheffield to see Racing Demon was the best bit.

Somebody was asking about the laburnum tree in Lady Aspen's garden. It isn't in the Threadings Code. It was the only laburnum tree on the island, and Lady Aspen fenced her garden around it so that no sweet little animals would be in danger from the pods. It's one of the most toxic plants there is, and Crispin had it cut down and burned.

Mistmantle Garden

A spring-like day and a quiet river. The sparrows in the holly hedge don't notice the prickles.

The garden is now ready for planting and we are already to raid a garden centre, so I asked some Mistmantle animals what they thought we should put in. I didn't get far with Fingal who only said 'can you eat it?', but here are some of the others.

APPLE - You want lots of strong mint for cordials, bit of horseradish, plenty onions, you want good strong flavours. And flowers for yer 'at. Nice big daisies are good on a 'at. And big red poppies that you can see a mile off. And 'olly'ocks. I love 'olly'ocks, me.

CRISPIN - Definitely lavender, it's so good for health, and the smell and colour are wonderful. Plenty of trees for a squirrel to climb. Something with berries for birds.

NEEDLE - What about something with berries for hedgehogs? You could plant a row of raspberry canes along that fence. Are you growing strawberries again? And do take care how to blend your colours.

HOPE - You need things that smell nice. Lavender is good, and you can put it in your bath too. Honeysuckle is lovely. And roses, and that one that butterflies like.

GLEANER - My Lady had a lovely secret garden. She grew such pretty things, Nightshade, Lily of the Valley, Lords and Ladies, and there was such a beautiful yellow laburnum tree. That heartless Crispin had it all dug up. I don't know what those flowers are that the foreign queen brings in but they give me hayfever.