Be careful what you wish for

The clocks may have reverted to British Summer time but the weather has had other ideas; temperatures with a wind chill making it feel somewhere around freezing and an incredibly biting wind which has finished off fences already challenged by the recent storms we've endured.
But... I did ask for rain and I got intense showers of hail. Close. Then the audacity of some sunshine in between? Painful especially when I remember its only a few days ago I was sunning myself in the garden and burning my shins.
Never mind it will mean I will be able to get on with the garden tomorrow as long as the weather is kind that is. 

pictures caught between hailstorms

I couldn't resist it and took my phone out and quickly took pictures of plants showing their heads. Some have been in flower for a few days and some a few months. The spirea bush is in its Spring magnificence and the tulips are starting to show their buds. In some gardens I've noticed they are already out but as yet none in this garden have opened let alone shared what colours they are.
The garden on one side is ready for blooming but as yet they haven't received the composting they need. My two recycling/composting bins are full and I suspect half of their bulk equates to lovely homemade compost but as yet I have not released it; a job for next week. 
I've pruned the roses and lopped the buddleja to within an inch of its growth last year. I'm hoping they will all throw up nice long,fresh stems which will have good heads on top for the butterflies I get in the garden.
When I was sitting out enjoying the sun I saw a peacock up close and personal, and I have seen a few tortoise shells fly by so they are waking up from their torpor. I do hope this sudden change in the weather hasn't caught them too hard.

Usually visited by small solitary bees and some bumbles.
 Lovely to see the out and about

 

So we are now into the tenth day of personal distancing. I do wish they wouldn't call it social distancing it makes it sound as if we shouldn't speak to one another. Fortunately, the older people (my age bracket; healthy and not quite 70) are out for their one stint of daily exercise (no more that 30 mins is advised) or walking the dog. We pass each other on opposite sides of the street and say, 'good morning' to one another as we pass.
Interestingly, I have seen few, if anyone out for a walk who is under about 50 years of age, and even more surprisingly, no children. Their parents are going to be so pleased to give them back to the teachers after this extended period of time. I do hope they will look at teachers in a different light after this. Some of them will struggle with their own two or three, we had to cope with a minimum of thirty all at once and in a confined space! 
We shall see.
I listened to the daily briefing this afternoon and was really interested in what Jenny Harries had to say about the time line the medical professionals, who have their fingers on the pulse of overall numbers. She was at pains to say we were in this form of lock down for at least the next couple of weeks and some form of restricted movements could be in place for up to and perhaps longer than six months. 
Sadly that would mean yet another holiday I've planned will go by the board (that's in May) and will be pushing it for my cruise in September. Never mind, I will get the money reimbursed unlike a lot of people because I have gone through a travel company for all aspects of my holiday and I have full ATOL and ABTA protection. I do keep my fingers crossed the cruise to the Far East in January will go ahead but I do have a funny feeling this country and Europe will not be in the right place even then to have us traveling over there.
So on a very happy note; I've bought a new tent!!!
If I can't get abroad then I will go camping. I am a member of the Camping and Caravaning Club and it would be good if I started using it again. I have been a member for 10 years and as yet have only utilised it for one site, for one year. It may seem a waste, keeping up the subscription, but its a heck of a lot less than gym membership so many people forget they've got and pay for each month.

Happy days, happy dreaming and if the worst comes to the worst,

 it goes up in the garden