Scanning the online papers this morning for a modicum of good news that didn't involve Colin Firth's impending knighthood or Charlie Sheen's atomic meltdown; I came across an article which shouldn't have been amusing - but sincerely had me giggling. As reported by the mail and other papers, 'CUPCAKE RAGE' was afoot in Cardiff. A woman who, as of this moment, thankfully to all those who know her, remains unidentified, found not only her favourite cupcakes missing but also her own sense of reason and common sense. When said woman discovered the last of her favourite cupcakes had, in fact, been sold to the customer in front of her, she threw what could only be described as a 'fondant fit'. This lady then proceeded to smash the shop and assault the shop owner, before fleeing - hopefully directly to anywhere that would provide her with her sugar fix. Now while this woman clearly either has a serious sugar addiction or perhaps there were other outside influences affecting her behaviour, I think it is a very fair assessment by the papers to say that we truly seem to be becoming an 'angry' nation. However, can we be blamed? Besides anything to do with politics, the economy, your favourite sports team - the winter has seemed endless! The grey skys merely adding to the omnipresent feeling of gloom and the refusal of the thermometer to teeter above 10 degrees for more than an hour, can truly turn even the most mild mannered of people into cupcake crazies.
HOWEVER, there are some things that are inevitable, one of them being that SPRING is actually going to come. No matter how difficult it may be to believe at the moment, no matter how much the doom-mongers tell us of cataclysmic environmental change, there are tiny little signs all around us. The snowdrops and occasional brave Daffodil poking through the sodden soil; the increasing tweets emitting from actual birds in trees rather than from Phil Schofield et al; the trees that are slowly recovering their modesty and dressing themselves in buds which promise to become blossoms and leaves. I agree it won't be easy, the mornings are still relatively dark and chilly; but I for one am going to take hope from the messages that nature is sending to us and will bravely be dusting off my wellies this weekend to make a start on my garden makeover. It is not an overnight process. With retaining walls to be built, raised beds to be designed, sodden areas of lawn to tackle and a cosy seating area for summer visitors to be installed. However things will be made easier thanks to the Terraforce blocks I will be using. The Terralite blocks are playfully called the 'ladies blocks' (and I like to think occasionally I am), and at only 8kgs each will be easy to handle. Having had the displeasure of building a brick wall myself; the added bonus that a Terraforce wall is interlocking and therefore won't need any cement or mortar jointing brings me more joy that is reasonable! Plus it is cheaper....definitely a coup! In addition I won't have to settle for boring straight flowerbeds. Finally I can get the curves I have wanted for so long!
Yes I expect a runny nose and mud everywhere. I know that the earthworms and frogs will find my infringement on their space offensive and I know the ensuing backache and dirty clothes will leave me wondering what I was thinking. However I know that the satisfaction of doing something positive, of defying the media and being HAPPY will truly be the icing on the cake! 