Shakespeare in the garden

I keep re reading my posts from a year ago. We were incredibly sad and bereaved at losing Molly but at the same time excited and scared at the thought of moving home and getting into deeper debt. Doubts as to whether we should do it or not? Risk a comfortable but unsatisfactory life for a new life with new challenges but potentially new rewards.

Well here we are. I have my lovely private bedroom with the onsuite. I have the quiet and tidy sitting room for reading or watching tv or relaxing and I have my fantastic kitchen which opens out to the garden and with careful arrangement of indoor and outdoor plants it all feels a smooth transition from inside to out which was what I was dreaming of. Oh there is still more to do and always will be but in the main we both love it here.
Our lives have been 90% happier since moving here. Richard and I get along so much better and enjoy exploring the local area whether that be going on walks or bike rides (must increase these) or finding new places and pubs to eat in (must decrease these).
Just had a lovely weekend with Angela coming up for the shakespeare in the college gardens. We were in St John's and what a beautiful setting. It took us quite a while to find the right entrance and by accident wandered around the beautiful grounds, getting caught up in a wedding. People watching prior to the show was fun and awarding points for best picnic such as the group who bought a table and table cloth and the group who had the three courses and the very neat and handy drinks holders. The actual show was pretty good with some good acting although I do think Kate was miscast and should at least have been wearing proper support as her rather buxom figure reminded me of a nagging and fearful Peggy Mount than a vivacious and clever girl. It was also a shame that the misogyny in the play could not have been underminded somehow and it did jar with our 21st century expectations.

However sitting in the garden eating bread and drinking wine and watching a good play in good company in a lovely English summer evening will go down as one of my favourite times ever.
Yesterday was also good fun with Angela helping to put up pictures before we went to Burford Manor for a wander and then off to the Willow for a lovely lunch not too bothered by wasps which was lucky and then off to see the Bourne windmill which has been described as a Windmill on a stick. Very good fun. Home to see Angela off and then a quick nap before watching a bit of telly (the new Sherlock Holmes was excellent fun bringing old and new together) and then off to bed. A good weekend.
Today I have some leave as was expecting a Japanese student who due to unexepected cat allergy is not able to come along so we get the money without having to do the work but must be on reserve and available in case of emergencies.

So life is good. We are all healthy and generally happy although I do worry we are living beyond our means and there are dark clouds looming. All public services are facing a spending review and there are rumours that our paid hours will be reduced to 35 a week which will have an effect upon my monthly salary. The credit crunch that we first heard about almost three years ago (I remember driving through Marks Tey to meet with Greg when I was listening to a radio programme about American mortgages being defaulted etc) is now in danger of really effecting my standard of living which I bitterly resent. I was not a rich banker profiting from high rewards and bonuses. I'm just a poor public servant thats been trying to provide a good service for the public and in return expects to maintain my standard of living which is not high.

Anyway today is a good day and I might go into town for a wander around the sales or look at an exhibition or something nice.