Illumination

Even the longest winter must finally come to an end, and so it is with this one. In just the last few weeks so many things have changed in sync with the season. The days are finally finally getting longer, and what a joy it was to change the clocks forward last weekend, and come home from work in the daylight.

I planted pink heather and japonica in the planter near my bedroom window, and was amazed to discover that the Bleeding Hearts I had planted last year were in shoot again; they have shot up in the last few weeks, completely dwarfing the other plants and flowering their petite pink heart bell shaped buds beautifully.

There are bird feeders hanging above them and we've already seen robins, coal tits and blackbirds in passing. Even the squirrels hustle up to steal the seeds - little blighters!

Inside our house, there are packing cases everywhere. After 5 years of happiness here, T is finally moving on, into a house with her B. This means my G is moving in with me and I'm filled with fear, trepidation, delight and utter joy. I can't wait for our time together to begin ...

Already his collection of swords and crossbows, hats and masks and coats and suits have begun to accumulate in amongst my own things; we are cluttered, too cluttered, but looking forward to rearranging our little world together once the space is ours.

I spent a day in St Albans with my dear friend D. We had lunch in the Cathedral Cafe, then meandered through the gorgeous building - over a thousand years old. We had a magical encounter with an historian archivist, who was poring over an incredible parchment, 700 years old, filled with Latin recordings of the Manor Courts held by the Bishop for the villagers of the area. It was breathtaking to be inches away from the illuminated script drawn by monks in the 14th century. I found myself catching my breath, eyes brimming, overwhelmed by the sense of history.

Then D guided me past the glorious shrine to St Alban, the first English saint, and outside to the grave of the Baron Grimthorpe, who saved the Cathedral in Victorian times. Then on and out to the high street, filled with quaint and arty boutiques. He bought a lava lamp - glorious neon red and yellow; I bought a bedside lamp for G and me - LED lit with morphing colours of red and blue and green. Yes, ridiculous, I know, but who cares!

The day ends warm and lit as I sit in my window, munching on chocolate ginger in the soft glow of the changing colours, looking outside in the hope I will catch a glimpse of the robin trying out the new bird-feeder.

With every change comes new things - a new job, a new housemate, new friends and a new view on my world - my England.