Garden, birthday and holiday plans

 The garden is mostly ready for winter now, all that's left to do is for me to trim and tidy up my tin bath herb garden that was an anniversary gift from my sister, and 3 pots at the front of the house to be emptied of geraniums and refilled with Spring bulbs.  Oh, and 3 or 4 bags of compost to be bought and spread over the lightly forked emptied beds.  We've begun discussing plans for next year - nothing definite as yet, just mulling over ideas for the garden - whatever we do, it has to be low/easy maintenance.  We're thinking about getting rid of the big 10 or 12 feet tall yucca tree in the corner of the garden beside the patio.  I really don't like it, it's not in the best of health....it looks scruffy, the long pointy leaves are always going brown and being shed liberally all over the patio and table & chairs, along with dropping seeds everywhere.  And it provides no shade, in a part of the garden that gets all the afternoon sun and really needs some shade over the patio table and chairs.  We'll need some help from a younger, fitter and healthier friend or relative, husband and I can't cut it down by ourselves.  It's a job to think about over the winter, we're not totally decided yet.  If we do get rid of it, I'll want to replace it with a small tree, one that will provide shade, won't drop leaves everywhere and will need little maintenance.  If anybody has any ideas for a suitable tree, please let me know.

It was chucking it down with rain and very windy here early this morning, it's only just calmed down.  Things have been blown around the garden, but no damage - I'm guessing it'll be much worse up north, we do generally get off very lightly here.

I'm making a lasagne using chicken mince today, as a change from the usual roast, and an apple crumble for pud.  I'll have the pud just for today, then husband can finish it over the next couple of days....I don't very often eat puddings.  I've been thinking about a meal for my birthday....decided I don't really want to go out for a meal, I'm often not very impressed by the vegetarian options, nor do I want chips with everything.  Even the fish options are generally quite limited.  So I might just buy something I really like and cook it myself at home - at least I'll know I'll enjoy it and won't be wondering what's in it.  Maybe king prawns, lightly cooked and in a lemon mayo, with new potatoes and salad.  Then some nice cheese and crackers to follow, and some good dark chocolate with a coffee.

I've started looking at a few holiday cottages for next year, dog friendly ones of course.  It's been several years now since we last had a cottage holiday, and prices have risen substantially since then, even for out of season breaks - the price for May or September, say, now seems to be as high as we would have paid a few years ago for a high season break.  Not that we ever went in high season - far too crowded for our liking.  I'll keep looking, there's no rush, I'm sure I'll find somewhere suitable eventually.  It'll be not too far away, probably the neighbouring counties of Devon, Wiltshire or Dorset, or even this county - somewhere not too far for husband to drive.  We've certainly been spoilt by having the caravan, although we still don't regret giving it up.