cheap thrills

 thanks to careful planning by my superiors due to the introduction of a new telephone system, there were way too many of us in the customer service department today and as I noticed weather was improving after a grey, dull morning and I will be doing overtime tomorrow anyway, I asked and was granted permission to leave early, two hours in actual fact; so, there I was driving back home feeling chuffed with myself and extra time on my hands, the world smiled at me and afforded me several fortuitous treats

number 1. on the radio on my way home an interview with young fashion designer Aniela Hoytink, who together with the University of Utrecht is researching and experimenting with creating fabric from mold, the roots to be precise: mycellium, it's called MycoTEX. I probably would not have heard this particular news, not today at any rate; it is quite fascinating: a completely eco-friendly textile, f.e. feel you've outworn your jumper, toss it in the garden and it becomes instant compost! Or if you're attached to it, grow a patch, stick it on and overnight the hole has disappeared. Be sure to check out the website

 number 2. enough time for a long walk with Django: always a pleasure

 number 3. first one home gets to read the evening news paper first, together with a mug of strong earl grey in the sun making the outdoor retreat even more perfect!

number 4. time to admire the tulips: my lazy gardner's trick, dig in a couple of bulbs, forget about them and hey presto, a few months later: colour 
(unless a certain black dog gets to them first and chews off the petals, in that case make sure you plant a lot of them)