I used to be indecisive…

Dear autumn leaves,  It’s such a shame that you all seemed to fall off the trees lining our neighbourhood roads at the same time.  The roads and pavements look lovely and colourful with their autumnal colours, but it would have been better if you could have stayed on the trees for a bit longer. 

Dear electrician, I’m very pleased as a result of your visit yesterday.  We can now have decent lights in the kitchen and loft, and the installation of a couple of outdoor sockets means that the world is our oyster should we wish to put up festive outdoor lights, or operate the lawnmower in a more convenient way.

Dear trip to London.  Well, that was an adventure.  It’s nearly two years since I last took the train to London (or even went there at all).  I have been avoiding travel until now because of the pandemic, but I felt the time was right to go last week.  Firstly, the train was busier than I had been led to believe it might have been as I was not travelling at a peak time and secondly, it was really annoying that so many people just ignored the signs and verbal requests to wear masks.  I found a seat with an empty space beside me and must have been exuding a ‘don’t you dare come near me’ vibe as I managed to keep it to myself for the whole journey despite more people getting on at the next stations.  Once I arrived at my destination things seemed very much as they were before, train station wise, but Covent Garden (my destination to meet friends for lunch) was a lot quieter than it often is, which I imagine was due to the lack of tourists at the moment.  We found outdoor seats (yet under cover) and sat with cosy blankets available should we be feeling a bit chilly, enjoying the music of the string quartet and an opera singer (who sometimes hit rather high and piercing notes which halted our conversation!).  The Christmas decorations are up there and, even though it was barely mid November and FAR TOO EARLY, I even felt slightly festive when I saw them.  Having made that first trip I feel more comfortable with the thought of travel and I imagine I’ll be back again soon.

Dear garden,  You are looking a bit tidier thanks to me doing a little work recently, but I know there is still much to be done.  Planting my spring bulbs is the next task so hopefully that will be happening in the next few days and you will be a fabulous riot of colour in a few months’ time.

Dear Great British Bake Off,  I am quite sad at the thought that next week is the final week.  Where am I going to get my cosy, comforting viewing now?

Dear Readers,  Apologies for any mistakes in these letters.  My fingers have decided that today is a good day to have a mind of their own, so there have had to be corrections galore, but I may have missed some.

Dear autumn leaves,  Why do you like to congregate in our garden?  We already have our own leaves to contend with without all the neighbourhood leaves blowing in too, pretty as some of you are.  Share the love – visit other people’s gardens for a while.

Dear weather, I’m sorry to be writing to you again so soon, but I need to let you know that yet again I’m unimpressed with this autumnal weather.  First, though, the windy conditions we had earlier in the week have gone, which is good, so thank you for arranging that.  However, the point of writing today is to say that the frosty nights we’ve been having this week have caught me unawares.  Perhaps a more gentle descent into overnight freezing temperatures would have been better, and I’d have been able to prepare my plants in advance and not have to rush outside in the cold and dark to move them into more sheltered positions.  Just a thought.

Dear agapanthus plants,  I hope you haven’t suffered as a result of the sudden late night moving of your pots into the shelter of the house wall and having to spend a whole night without your fleece coverings.  Now that you are fleeced up all should be well until you are uncovered in the spring.

Dear little garden birds,  Welcome back.  It’s nice to see you again.

Dear parents who drive your children to school,  Do you ever read the letters that are sent to you?  You are still driving like mad people and pulling up to let your little darlings hop out of the car in the most unsuitable places.  Is it going to take your child being hurt before you think about what you are doing?  It would only take an extra minute out of your busy schedule to park sensibly and let your child out safely.  

Dear Snoopy,  I’d be happy for you to come and organise the leaves that fall in my garden.Dear Readers,  I hope you are well, and that you have a good weekend.