Greenhouse, garden and anxiety

My violas are looking good. Now there are multiple blooms on each plant I might actually be able to get enough petals to make the eczema cream I want to try. Possibly next year though, when they've spread a bit.

Since it's the weekend, that must mean gardening. Lovely weather for it, although while I remembered to put some sun block on my tattoo for future reference some on my face would be a good idea. I was a bit on the red and sore side when I got home. An aloe vera moisturiser I've got has helped with that a lot.

The greenhouse is pretty much done for now. The tomato plants are really liking the growbags, although after planting the cucumber in the spare space on one growbag Grandad's neighbour, who has about 60 years more gardening experience than me, told me you should keep cucumbers and tomatoes separate, so I'm going to have to dig it up again and put it in a pot by itself. Ho hum. She was also able to tell me that the rather gorgeous and delicate flowers in a variety of colours that have seeded themselves in an overgrown patch of the garden are columbines. They are so pretty.

I bought little gem lettuce plants yesterday so have planted those out in the greenhouse earth; the marigolds bought on Monday have been repotted, as has the parsley. I've also planted a variety of seeds: chives, spring onions, broccoli, courgettes, lollo rosso and rocket. Oh, and the lemon balm had to be repotted too. After lunch I weeded one of the flower beds and have planted out some of the petunias, which have come on a treat since repotting during the week.

Titan decided to try and give me heart failure this afternoon. I had the window open and while I usually spot when he is investigating it this time round he managed to not only investigate but also get out without making a noise or drawing attention to himself. He must have got onto the porch roof and I can't work out how he got down from there. A frantic time was then spent by me first making sure he wasn't hiding in the flat then searching the streets for him and desperately hoping I wouldn't find him dead on the nearby main road.

Coming back up the road towards the walk through which leads to where my car is parked, I spotted a familiar looking head peering at me around a fence post. As soon as he saw me heading towards him he disappeared through an overgrown patch of ground and up the fence onto a neighbour's shed roof. Since I couldn't reach him and he wasn't coming down I had to bang on the neighbour's door to try and gain access to the garden - took three attempts at knocking and the guy answered the door in his underwear so I suspect I woke up someone on night shifts - although it was about 6.30pm by this time so hopefully it wasn't too bad. He was great though, and once he had put on a dressing gown came to help me get Titan. Blasted cat was not co-operating and any time I got near enough to make a grab at him he switched sides of the roof.

Eventually, with me standing in a bush on the other side of the fence, my neighbour gently encouraged Titan towards me with a stick and I was able to get a grip on the scruff of his neck. Of course, he dug his claws into the shed roof, then the fence, then me. Once I got a good hold on him though he did co-operate and didn't object while I carried him home. No struggling even when I had to shove him under one arm to get my key out.

I was so upset when I realised Titan must have got out, and the time it took to find him was really awful. He doesn't seem to resent me for my rough handling in bringing him home though, and we've had a bit of a cuddle on the futon.

At least the rabbit can't get out. Or the hamster. It does mean I'm going to roast in the flat over the summer if I can't open the window.

On Friday evening GBF and I had a barbecue at his Mum's place. Very nice. GBF and I did the cooking and my evening also involved attempts at catching a frog so the dog couldn't eat it or lick it and make herself ill. The camouflage very well in rosemary bushes. He was eventually removed to a crowded border further down the garden. After eating, we headed back to GBF's and played Worms on the Wii. Great game! I was a bit crap at it until I got used to the controls. That's one to add to my must buy list, when I have some money.

Tomorrow evening will be planting out the cabbages and possibly doing a bit more border weeding, depending on how long the cabbages take to do.