<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/marynigelpianoapr18.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-4915 size-thumbnail" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/marynigelpianoapr18-200x150.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></a>Who could have imagined how one's life would twist and turn? I certainly didn't... I'm retired but there are times when it all seems to be very frenetic with so much going on. I see Mary most Wednesday evenings and we'll go out for dinner or go to the cinema and at weekends we spend time gardening, walking, talking, listening to music, cooking or visiting each other's friends and familiarizing ourselves with our different lifestyles. Last weekend Mary invited her friends Nigel and Veronica to stay. She has known Nigel since they were 12 and they have an interest in playing the piano. Mary went to the Royal Academy of Music so she's very accomplished but doesn't make the time to practice. When she sat down with Nigel to play a duet she became even more alive (if that's possible) than normal. They played several pieces and she wanted to continue but sadly Nigel and Veronica had to depart.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/potting-shedapr18.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-4916 alignleft" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/potting-shedapr18-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>At home the garden is slowly being managed into shape. I've finished wiring the posts to espalier the fruit trees; the seed trays in the potting shed are being filled; beetroot, parsnip, carrot seeds are in the beds and when the ground dries a little more I shall start sowing the Brassicas.

I'm quite impatient so there's a risk I start sowing stuff before the last of the cold weather has left us and gardening is such a trial and error activity - what worked last year might not work this. It doesn't bother me anymore if things don't go to plan - this planning malarkey is overrated.