The cottage garden and the neighbours.

Then Job got up, and tore his mantel and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshipped. And said ‘ Naked I came into my mother’s womb , and naked shall I return: the Lord gave, and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord .’

Job 1: 20 – 21

Standing where the sash window had been replaced by a double, glass door you could walk about 40 to 50 yards to where the laurel trees protruded through the fence and held it down in places. This was the end of the garden. Cottages here often have disproportionate gardens and ours was only 9 yards wide but I soon learned to appreciate the sun moving down its length.

The garden had three sections. A large section closest to the house was in grey, solid, rough concrete with a crazy paving path going round a rockery with a pond in the middle. We immediately filled in the pond as this was a good area on wet days. Children love to be outside and that was where the covered sandpit was.

This was followed by a green house, old and cemented in, with no chance of weeds coming through bricked planting beds. A good place for me to dabble with seeds. Hardy, happy plants grew there. No needy complex characters. I was haphazard in my care. Water and warmth is all they got with a lot of my admiration. I remember a big clump of parsley that was always there for us as well as tomatoes in the summer.

After this the 20 yards of grass where there was a challenge.

“Do you know Sandy talks to the neighbour while you are at work?”…

… and

“Strange thing this but do you know your neighbour puts his clothes on to cut your grass when you are on holiday!”

Comments from a neighbour one door down.

Our neighbours we shared a wall with were a common-law couple. A scientist and his lively companion who had three children older than mine but a lot of fun. They soon spent time in our garden coming over the fence. Their mum always put some shorts on the children and yes, I soon learned to cope with speaking to someone happy in his skin! There were some comic strip moments. Wellingtons only, cardigan only, all on an aging brown as a berry man’s frame. No job too difficult with nothing on.

Our cottage garden with lengthening shadows. A memory.

Under the common law , one of the more controversial rules is the ” No duty to rescue rule” that says that , if you were not responsible for placing someone in danger or risk , you have no obligation to help them, even when it would cost little to save them.

Jonathan Turley (1961 American attorney, writer and commentator .)

One of my correspondents has me convinced that the human race would be saved if the world became one huge nudist colony. I keep thinking how much harder it would be to carry a concealed weapon.

Cyra Mc Fadden born 1937 American writer.

These quotes made me smile. I hope you are having a good weekend.

Sandy 🙂