Dear Clare,  

My cat doesn’t understand me, what can I do? 

Ah, sorry, wrong Claire, spelled with an un-necessary ‘i’ as well! Okay, I know what you are going to say, you are not angry, just disappointed!  Anyway, I’m missing you loads so I thought I’d write you a letter to let you know that I am always thinking of you and the great times we had together since we met through your amazing Work of Heart garden for Ken.  I always look at that photo of us when you first came to Bristol to collect those mahoosive stashes of wool, and I put my arm around you (sorry but I couldn’t help myself), and you had that terrified look on your face, that always makes me laugh!  

Well, I’m sure you’ll want to know what’s been happening and the answer quite simply is not that much really!  Yes that stupid Coronavirus has been a right pain and we’ve all been couped-up under lockdown unable to travel without running the risk of the rozzers giving us a good ticking-off, so basically it’s been pretty rubbish!  However, because we’ve all been good and are having our Covid jabs, Boris is starting to let us all go out to meet-up with friends and families again.  And guess what, I’ve had my hair cut - at last! You would have had a proper-LOL moment if you had seen my Bill Bailey look!  

You will be happy to hear that I’ve not been shirking from home during lockdown, but have been going mad on getting the garden out of it’s long-neglected state.  Yes, I thought you’d be pleased.  I even know what some of the shrubs are called as well!  Don’t worry I’m not filling the place with, ‘booooring ferns’ but am putting a whole variety of different plants in, including a young witch hazel. As it grows it will always remind me of that beautiful one that we saw in flower when we went to visit the Oxford University Botanical Garden last year. I remember it smelled pretty amazing too.  I’m going to pop back there very soon and will be reminiscing over that great weekend away we had there.  

Yes, I know it would be great it you could be there with me again, but you WILL be.  Ok, you won’t be there physically, but in my head you will be there in the same way you are always there when I wake up every morning, when I find myself asking your advice about something that might be bothering me, or telling you about something I know you’d love to hear about, and your replies are coming through loud and clear too!  

So, this is just to let you know again, I will be missing you and thinking of you loads today but no pity-parties, I promise.  Actually, I’ve just found our bottle of Disaronno in the drinks cupboard, and have some Coke in the fridge too - would you care to join me later? 

Here’s to you, gorgeous birthday girl!

Love Ian.  xxx