Marty

And, seeing we had been talking about clo's sins (or her spurious claim to have a soul as white as snow), when I read Gary's comment I just assumed he was wondering whether Val's soul might be as dark on her inside as her feathers are on her outside. Because, if I remember correctly, this whole conversation started with the two of you trying to claim each was more innocent than the other...

Good, thanks. Yourself?

Hi, Ali! You've caught me at the end of a tea break. About to head back out into the garden.

Hi, Page!

Garden centres are flagged to reopen here on 17th May. I really hope they do! Apart from the few things I've already said I want to buy, I broke my garden fork handle today. It's a new fork, bought when I was in England. Probably guaranteed for twelve months, but (a) I can't find the receipt, and (b) international travel may not be possible before any guarantee runs out. So it looks like a new garden fork will be on my shopping list once the garden centres reopen. I could just buy a new handle, but (a) I'm not all that handy when it comes to fitting things like that, and (b) I might just confuse the sales assistant when I ask for one...

Perseverance, my friend! If at first you don't succeed, learn from the experience and try, try, try again.

Well congratulations then. And I'm sure you'll do fine. I'm good, thanks for asking. Gonna head out and do some gardening once I finish this mug of coffee.

So what have you missed in here, Caz...? Erm... Gary had a sore neck, but it seems to be better now... Clo and Val have the occasional biatch fight, usually over pics of guys that Gary posts... (dughlas often runs off with the guy whilst clo and Val are busy squabbling) I'm boring everyone with tales of my gardening, and weekly black and white photographs... Sage and Onion, oops! I mean Page and Albert are impressing us all with tales (and occasional pictures) of what they are eating, and various recipes.... Bucket is somehow managing to survive living upside-down in down-underland... There was a huge discussion about the humble spud a few days ago.... Wee Drew seems to be mellowing in his old age... Now.... I'm sure I've missed a few people, or some important news, but I've not had my second coffee yet.

Hi, Caz That's good news.

I notice Gary has listed his new story as Complete! Must make time to read it, now!

Morning all! And, with the start of this new day, I am now officially allowed, as a septuagenarian in covid-19 Ireland, to leave my house and garden, and exercise within a five kilometre radius of home.

As my grandad often used to tell me: "Patience is a virtue, sometimes found in man." He would often follow that with: My mam would always tell me grandad was getting old and forgetful, and that was why he kept getting it the wrong way round... As a child, this was often me: But, now that I'm getting old, this is how I sometimes feel: I hope each and everyone of you realises that I am just joking! (And Grandad and Mam were only joking, as well)

Cheers, buddy!

I finally got my seed potatoes planted today. Two rows of Desiree (long oval tubers, red skinned, pale yellow flesh) and two rows of Royal (oval tubers, yellow skinned, pale yellow flesh). Fifteen tubers in each row. Desiree is classed as maincrop, but I have grown it in the past and it yields so well that some plants can be lifted early and still give a good yield. It tastes great, and makes excellent chips (fries across the pond). I've never grown Royal before. It is classed as an early maincrop. These two varieties were the only ones I managed to buy before the garden centres closed. Here's a photograph I took of the first 3 furrows before I made the fourth one (and before I planted the seed potatoes themselves):

You almost got me with that one, dughlas.

And certainly don't inject it!

Just wondering....

You do know that telling a lie is classed as a sin...?

Not even teeny weeny ones? Venial sins, maybe?

And a scrubbing brush?

"Talks about talks" ... I remember those from the very early days of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, quite a good number of years before the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

Great news!

Yup, everything excellent, thanks!

Hi, young Albert! Hope you're having a good day. Can't stop and chat just at the moment. Busy, busy busy.... 🐝

Fingers, and everything else, crossed for you, dughlas.