DISMANTLING

We have spent the last couple of weeks taking down our old shed. What remained was not pretty, and our attempts to improve the site and prepare it for the replacement were thwarted by the sheer effort involved in heaving around heavy paving stones and hardcore – it’s back-breaking work.

Two days were completely wasted when we employed the wrong person to help, and our ‘shed fund’ is now reduced by a frightening amount of money spent on him making it – actually – worse! The company selling us the shed have come to our rescue, working out a competent (and rather expensive) plan, which will – I hope – improve the entire corner of the garden. Watch this space!

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The dismantling of parts of our lives has not been confined to the garden. The mandatory six years have now passed since I ceased my accountancy practice, and I am allowed to dispose of all the related paperwork. When we pulled all the various boxes of files from the dusty corners of storage, the task looked very daunting indeed. Earlier in the year I made a start and broke the shredder. I always manage to break these machines, and this one was not cheap when I bought it.

 

A quick look on the internet and I found a confidential shredding service… and so began the dismantling of all those years of hard work. Hundreds of schedules, computations, neatly clipped tax returns and beautifully bound accounts are now sitting in large eco-friendly ‘paper bags’ in our garage, awaiting collection. It was quite an emotional experience, remembering each and every client (some of whom have since died or become very ill), and recalling their lives – often in intimate detail. 

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We reached the Autumn Equinox yesterday, and it is beginning to show in the garden. The colours are starting to fade into that gentle richness which defines the new season.

Much to my amazement though, the blue Hydrangea decided to produce some new flowers, so there is a beautiful melange of brownish mauves with bright new green-blue. Another newcomer is one of the new Hollyhocks which I sowed last year has bloomed with a dark magenta flower, quite a surprise.

Many of the annuals will need to be cut down fairly soon, but I’m leaving them for as long as possible to do so. The thought of yet more dismantling is a gloomy one, especially at a such gloomy and depressing time in all our lives. 

We need a little bit of hope to hold on to, and mine might be the choosing of some bulbs to plant during the Autumn months ready for Spring flowering. As my late father used to quote (from ‘Macbeth’):

‘Come what may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.’

We all experience such days, and this little phrase is true, even when those days feel endless.

The highlight of September has been a rare visit from two members of our small family on one of the sunniest days. We are a very close family, so such meetings are precious. I close with  a bright, cheerful photo taken by our son on that day - somehow he has made the garden look stunning, and I hope you will enjoy it too. Keep safe, and above all, stay healthy!