Conversation over tea

B. I’ve just been thinking….

G. Uh oh. Trouble ahead.

B. ….that we can barely call ourselves gardeners lately.

G. How do you mean?

B. Well, look at how little time we’ve been spending in the garden.

G. Come on. It’s been Christmas. We’ve been busy.

B. Not that busy.

G. Besides, it’s sometimes been 30 degrees in the shade. And 100 per cent humidity.

B. True. But a real gardener would get up early and….

G. And what?

B. Do stuff in the cool. Pull out all that parsley that’s gone to seed for example.

G. Yes. I’ve been meaning to do that.

B. And hack at the wretched convolvulus – I swear it grows a foot a second. It’s twisting round the bay tree. 

G. Yes. I saw it’s even started on the datura.

B. And the lilly pilly branches are so heavy with lilly pillies they’re dangling over the front fence. They’ll soon block the footpath. 

G. Oh Lord. Summer! There’s just no respite. Why don’t we pour ourselves a nice cold drink with clinking ice blocks and go sit on the verandah and plan to mow the lawn at least?

January 2022