ALL CHANGE

At last the cold temperatures are changing and seem to be getting pushed out as the wind shifts from a north easterly to more from the south, raising the temperature gradually. The warmer, sunnier weather definitely puts a smile of people's faces and everyone seems to be getting busy.

This week I've been completing a film shoot for the Festival Theatre, and thanks to the improvement in the weather for the better we have been able to shoot outdoors. That changes the script slightly, but you have to be adaptable in this business.

There's change happening at home too, as the end of an era is upon it. After spending the majority of the past 20 years sharing a home with my best friend, it's all changing as she moves out and into her own place. There's lot's of work to do, and stressful bureaucracy to deal with, but it's an exciting time. There's an edge of sadness knowing it's all changing permanently, but she's not moving far away. In fact, if she makes a noise I'll just bang my foot on the floor of the living room to the apartment below!

If you read my blog on a regular basis you'll know that I have been making big changes in my garden, creating a high, woven-wicker fence, primarily to keep the neighbours cats out. Three weeks on and I can report that my garden, despite being surrounded by nine felines, is now cat-free. Before I started the major refit I had read that cats are creatures of habit in where they go for their toilet requirements, and once they have created a new habit elsewhere, they're gone for good. Fingers crossed.

The new fence has dramatically changed the environment and dynamic of the garden as well. During construction a lot of over-growth, especially that of the ivy, was stripped out to gain access, and this thinning has allowed other plants to get more light. But it's the birds that have changed the most. They've gradually realised that the garden is now a safe and protected environment, and every day the numbers seem to increase. Their behaviours have changed as well. Those that would normally stay high, are now coming down and pecking around the ground, clearly aware that there are now no cats lurking in the bushes.

The final change, without sounding melodramatic, has probably saved my life. Last week I was aware that my small car was not gripping the road very well. In fact it felt as though I was driving on an oily surface. I pulled into a service station to check the tyre pressures. When I parked up I had turned the wheels so the front tyres were fully visible. I was horrified to discover that a third of both tyres, on the inside edges, were perfectly smooth! Yesterday, these tyres were replaced, and the cause, the wheel alignment, was corrected. Then one of the mechanics showed me one of the tyres. I could see the fabric base layer, and he said he had no idea how I hadn't had a blow out!

So, a week of changes. Hopefully the new neighbour will be easy to get on with. She doesn't take sugar in her tea, so I guess I won't be popping round to borrow a cup anytime soon.