When the Wind Doesn't Blow

My leaf blower/vacuum/shredder won't vacuum!! Which means that there's no shredding, either!! There's a glorious pile of leaves under the willow tree and I can't do a dagnabbit thing with them. Oh okay, I could rake them into a pile and then sweep them off the path and into the garden, where they'd gently break down and become the glorious, glorious mulch their leafy forefathers have become every previous year.

But I love that machine. I've never been so excited about buying a garden tool ever. Or indeed any tool. Ever. Even the palm sander in 1997.

In other news, dinner with the W-Ds and the M-Zs on Friday night. Lots of cuddles from Jean and questions about arrangements for Sweeney's birthday. Delicious curry. The boys' rearranged room to ooh and aah at, which made a great spot for us to have a lie down for chatting after the delicious curry.

I spent simply aaaaages playing with my smooth-skinned nephew and his parents over Saturday and Sunday. Gave him baths, wrangled him into his pyjamas, taught him his next cool move - holding onto a table while wobbling - and provided him with a lovely wooden rattle with a bell inside. His poor, poor parents. Especially now, while he can grab things and shake them a whole lot, but it's still hard to release ...

Getting myself into the headspace for having the little fellow here next week. Reminding myself of Sweeney-friendly meals to put together. Made a tortilla last night that Craig didn't throw in the bin straight away - result!! Attached to the leaf-shredding is a gardening project I want to kick off with him while he's here.

Knitting some lacy fingerless gloves at night at the moment, although I won't be doing that this week - too many things to get set up, tidied away etc before Sweeney's here next week. Did I mention he'll be here next week?? Well, he'll be here next week.