Solace in the Garden

Jade had keyhole surgery 2 weeks ago, and some loose bone was removed from her right front elbow. The vets looked at the other leg with an invasive camera but found no work to be done there. I collected her the same afternoon and spent some days lifting and carrying her, but she is back on her feet now, and it's hard to stop her jumping on the furniture and getting into the garden to chase cats. Hopefully she'll soon be her old self, but in less pain. But for the next month I'll still have to carry her upstairs at night. I was so worried about carrying her back down without mishap that I devised a novel way of doing it, with her sitting on my lap as I slide from step to step on my bottom. Picture that, and have a giggle. It works, though.

Unfortunately, I've had a health scare myself and have to have more hospital tests this week to find the extent of the problem. Fingers crossed it's not too bad. I'm getting very tired so have to pace myself and rest in between jobs.

In the meantime the house project continues with lots of help from my family.My daughter has been here for a week to remove the last items from my old office and paint it. I've ordered a carpet and, when that is laid, I can turn it into my new bedroom. We bought some shelving for the new study area and I'm starting to fill it, but still have lots of stuff lying around in boxes.

The garden was badly neglected over the winter, and I thought the frost had killed off the arum  lily plant. But it has come back with three beautiful flowers.

The one at the bottom has been nibbled by something, but the other two are pretty well picture perfect.

The beetle thinks so too. Can you see him in the bottom picture?