Middle of May

 Hi bloglanders, in the merry month of May I am beginning to relax into month 3 of retirement and not counting.

My first major retirement achievement has been to actually read a book without cheating and jumping pages.  The book was gifted to me last year by my friend *Vix* and I had tried to get into it several times last year and failed because I have a short attention span.  Im glad I tried again as it was a really good read: about a journalist who finds the love of his life in Egypt; the book gives a window into the social and dating scene, expectations and restrictions/taboos for modern day Muslim women in Egypt.  It was superb  and I like true stories. thank you Vix! 

I have been to Brighton twice this month.  I tried out my pensioners free travel bus pass - it took 3 1/2 hours! two buses, both taking a very long and winding tour of local towns and villages, it was a very rattling, bumpy ride and I wouldn't do it again!  Second time I took the train which is only 40 minutes into Brighton.   Both times involved a big afternoon sleep on the beach.  I love browsing The Lanes and this time bought a collar necklace from.my favourite All About ,Audrey.  These are my favourite stones (they aren't real unfortunately).   

There were a lot of colourful characters around who just loved having their picture taken!  

Up at the allotment things are beginning to sprout and due to the unusually high temps in the UK, watering has been almost daily.  We now have a group (Sprinklers) on Whatsapp. we volunteer to water for each other during holidays/absence on a rota.  I have been doing 2 other allotments and it is a great way to see what others are planting, how they space things out, companion planting,  the recycled resources they use to cover their seedlings (wire freezer drawers are popular to deter birds from pulling things up) and what grows well together - I'm learning from the experts, some of whom have been there about 10 years.

On my 60 x 60ft plot I have planted:

Potatoes (early and maincrop)
runner beans
dwarf beans
red onions and garlic
carrot and beetroot
radicchio, cauliflower and celery
sweetcorn
pumpkins, gerkins and tomatoes.

I cut two thirds of my huge rhubarb crop and froze in chunks to make crumbles.  I left a third to die down so the crowns have enough nutrients to give a good yield next year.

I have started planting on some of the little paths on the plot as the soil is good and it's wasted space.  Also stocking up on spent filter coffee which hubby gets from the airport coffee shops for me - they are happy to give bags away which would otherwise be disposed of and they make great slug deterrent and compost.

In the garden - I planted about 50 flower bulbs, a few are surfacing - we have poor soil as the woods is directly behind our fence and the trees take a lot of the nutrients, also it's north facing/shady - but it looks neat and I am enjoying afternoons under the trees.

At the end of last year I had my brows microbladed and my lips tattoo'd (I had almost no natural brow and used to draw them in - time consuming - also I lost a lot of natural pigment in my lips).  It takes some months for things to settle down and see the benefit, I am very pleased with both as had asked for a natural look.  I have never been one for wearing makeup so this is ideal for me.

We postponed our trip to India this year, there is unrest so it's just as well, but we hadn't planned the trip enough and decided to go to Thailand - soon!  Although we have a huge 30k luggage allowance on Emirates, the internal flights allow 20k so I am thinking carefully about what to pack.  

My oldest brother lived in Thailand for 10 years and brought his Thai wife and 2 children to the UK some years ago.  I remember his wife (who used to run a small Thai cafe in the North) bringing a tiny little suitcase when the famly came to stay here; it contained not her toiletries, but her herbs and spices for cooking, she took over our kitchen during their stay and cooked some delicious food and I watched carefully, but as she spoke no English the recipes are still.a mystery!

I've just swum 50 lengths at our local pool and am off to relax in the garden now.

What's happening in your part of the world? how's your garden growing? Where are you travelling to? Comments welcome.