Fortunate times

Riverhill Himalayan Garden, June 2021

Looking back, we have had a lot of dog pictures recently, haven't we? I have more up my sleeve, but it's flowers again today, even though I should have been looking after the lovely Caddie for the weekend. Her regular foster family's plans fell through so she didn't come to me after all.

I was on retreat again last week, and will be going away again soon for another retreat. For the first eight months of this year I have rather overcommitted myself to a variety of retreats and volunteering opportunities through a combination of 'End of Lockdown!' and 'Why Not?' From September onwards I have fewer commitments, although as that time draws nearer it's quite possible I'll start volunteering for things again and fill up those months too.

The retreat was lovely, and I took my tent along for the hottest and driest camping trip ever. Apart from the glorious weather there were workshops for poetry, drawing, collage, mantra chanting and mandala drawing as well as talks, groups and ritual and some walking in the beautiful countryside. It was a more social experience than my last mainly silent retreat. And as an added bonus I managed to visit Bee Lady and Former Landrover Man on the way, although Bee Lady has now stopped keeping bees. FLRM and FBL are both well and we enjoyed a lovely lunch and a short walk.

The main event since coming home was periodontal surgery, which involved local anaesthetic on two different areas followed by cutting through the gum to deep clean the teeth and sew me back up again. I am fairly cowardly when it comes to dentistry, but realised that the extreme shaking was due to the powerful air conditioning being directed at me, and managed to indicate that I was shivering from cold rather than fear. Apparently it all went very well, although I find it very hard to believe that at least twenty years of chronic infection can be cured in this way despite the periodontist's confident prediction. I have a second similar ordeal to endure in about a month's time and then we'll see whether the outcomes are as good as he predicts.

And lastly, I decided it was time to mow the lawn again today and opened the garage door from the garden only to find that the front 'up-and-over' door to the street had been forced open, and there were boot marks on the side door and evidence that they had tried to prise that door open too, but failed. The car wasn't damaged and nothing was taken, so I'm left with a thankful feeling that I got off rather lightly.

Adhisthana, October 2021