I have this ludicrously hideous nightie. It is a fake lilac satin, voluminous ugly affair I bought in the first addled days of new Motherhood, and you know that is therefore, all the excuse I need. What cannot be excused is the fact that I am still wearing it, when it is probably the scariest garment Bon Marche (Bon bloody Marche!!!) ever produced.
But wearing it I am. Accessorised recently with turqouise plastic shoes and a rather fetching line in pineapple scrunchified updo’s of which you have never, ever seen the like. I’m gorgeous first thing in the morning. And do I care? Do I heck. If a person can’t be scary in her own backyard, where the heckity pie can she be scary?
So out I go. Because I’d rather be sitting drinking hot lemon water in my garden than anywhere else on the planet at the moment. Or at least I would have done until three days ago. You see no-one tells you, when you decide that growing things would be good for your soul, that what you are really inflicting upon yourself is WAR.
Oh yes, WAR.
I have had on my hands in the past three days the kind of flummoxing mystery Mrs Marple would have been thrilled with. I close the door on an immaculate little yard in the early evening and open it the next morning to find muddy bedlam. And for a while I blamed myself. Not knowing about these things I wondered if perhaps too much over-vigorous watering had caused the compost to bubble and jump out of the pots overnight. And then, while marmiting a bagel, I saw it. A naughty blackbird. Pecking away at my chive seed and sending mud flying all around the yard. I was not a happy sausage.
So out I waddled, (in my lilac nightie) and asked the blackbird to go away. And go away it did. Till I turned my back. When it swooped down and dragged an entire sunflower plant out of its pot before giving me a cheeky wink from a safe perch on top of next doors gate. Deciding then, in my infinite wisdom that what I needed was a scarecrow and finding them to be few and far between, I went inside and procured an empty pink bin liner, shoving half a marmite and cucumber onion bagel in my mouth as I went. And then I went back outside and kind of (Oh I’m so ashamed!) did the dance of the seven pink bin bags. In my nightie. And gardening clogs. With braless breasts shiny and defined in lilac satin and reaching somewhere near my bellybutton. And a bagel caught between my teeth. Wafting my bin bag like a flag and finding myself quite as silly as I ever have been, but safe in the knowledge that I was in the privacy of my own garden and all was well in the world of banished blackbirds.
Oh sure. This being a little row of four Victorian terraced cottages with quartered gardens behind, it is a fact of life that there is no privacy, and that we are in and out of each others gardens as fast as we are (secretly) filling up each others wheelie bins. I should have known better. Should not have been surprised when I looked up and saw my neighbour peering at me through a gap in the fence, a look of astonishment on his face so pure, I wouldn’t have blamed him if he’d dashed inside the house to summon his wife to come and video the spectacle of the human scarecrow in the scary purple dress.
I said "Good Morning".
He said "Hang a row of black socks on your line, that will sort the buggers out."
And then we went about our business. As English as they come.
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11 Comments
Nice!! – I too have an old bon marche monstrosity given to me by..well I'll not say to protect the innocent. I tend to keep it for dire emergencies only now… I'll recycle mine if you recycle yours… whadda ya say? Plus… Do you want to borrow a cat… I know of a great bird and mouse catcher by the name of dougal that'll do anything for some tuna….!
OMG! This is just TOO funny! And absolutely sounds like something I would do! Your neighbor was probably equally embarrased by the fact that you caught him lurking! Good luck with the birds. I have to say, the cat sounds like a great idea! Have fun!! 🙂
Hilarious, I think your neighbour probably had the thrill of his life! I've only got a back yard which is overlooked so like you I have to be very cautious about having any kind of conversation out there. The neighbours have heard some great rows I know! But we've mellowed a bit now so things are quieter! Gill
Just loved that expression hecity pie! Priceless! I bet the neighbour was just as embrassed as getting caught peeking as you were dancing! We already told you when you had the mouse problem to get a cat and they are wonderful companions. I do not think you need to write that book. Just do a daily diary of all the adventues you have put down each day on here. It makes for better reading than any magazine I have found, plus all your puttery treats!
Just loved that expression hecity pie! Priceless! I bet the neighbour was just as embrassed as getting caught peeking as you were dancing! We already told you when you had the mouse problem to get a cat and they are wonderful companions. I do not think you need to write that book. Just do a daily diary of all the adventues you have put down each day on here. It makes for better reading than any magazine I have found, plus all your puttery treats!
Oh my what a wonderful post. It makes me want to waddle about in MY tacky nighty and give the neighbours a quick boo every now and again just to keep everyone on their toes!
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Nice!! – I too have an old bon marche monstrosity given to me by..well I'll not say to protect the innocent. I tend to keep it for dire emergencies only now… I'll recycle mine if you recycle yours… whadda ya say? Plus… Do you want to borrow a cat… I know of a great bird and mouse catcher by the name of dougal that'll do anything for some tuna….!
Too funny! Poor Alison…LOL!
I don't know what I wish I could have seen more…your little "dance" or your neighbor's face!
Happy May Day!
Terri
stop before I wet myself, that was so funny!!!!!!!!!!
OMG! This is just TOO funny! And absolutely sounds like something I would do! Your neighbor was probably equally embarrased by the fact that you caught him lurking! Good luck with the birds. I have to say, the cat sounds like a great idea! Have fun!! 🙂
Priceless!
Priceless!
Hilarious, I think your neighbour probably had the thrill of his life! I've only got a back yard which is overlooked so like you I have to be very cautious about having any kind of conversation out there. The neighbours have heard some great rows I know! But we've mellowed a bit now so things are quieter!
Gill
Too, too funny! And so well written…
Just loved that expression hecity pie! Priceless! I bet the neighbour was just as embrassed as getting caught peeking as you were dancing! We already told you when you had the mouse problem to get a cat and they are wonderful companions. I do not think you need to write that book. Just do a daily diary of all the adventues you have put down each day on here. It makes for better reading than any magazine I have found, plus all your puttery treats!
Just loved that expression hecity pie! Priceless! I bet the neighbour was just as embrassed as getting caught peeking as you were dancing! We already told you when you had the mouse problem to get a cat and they are wonderful companions. I do not think you need to write that book. Just do a daily diary of all the adventues you have put down each day on here. It makes for better reading than any magazine I have found, plus all your puttery treats!
Oh my what a wonderful post. It makes me want to waddle about in MY tacky nighty and give the neighbours a quick boo every now and again just to keep everyone on their toes!