Guitar lesson today.  Still abysmal but marginally less abysmal than before.  Perhaps rather than abysmal it's bysmal.   Nick helped me with tempo, which, because I struggle with note finding - specifically D! - was good.  Some of the music, no problem, others, where I find the fingering to be tricky - tempo goes out the window.  Anyway, was pleased a few pieces played well - and the ones which pose problems, I have a solid foundation with which to practice.

Hot here today.  Should be walking now but too hot for Mikaela.  Have to get her little wading pool out and filled.  Trying not to use water until this drought breaks.  We had 20mm a few days ago but no follow up rain.  Everything is still green here - after all we live in the Tweed Valley - but it's a false sense of security.  The ground is quite dry, even the Tweed River is down.  Surely the rains will come.  Last year in October we had 300mm!

No writing today as after lesson and lunch picked up Richard and went shopping.  Hard on him.  He is especially tired after a day at the Men's Shed.  He's been struggling the last few days, quite out of it.  We had some hygiene issues yesterday and after boasting how I'd been keeping an even keel and just dealing with it and moving on, I got angry and frustrated.  No excuse but he argues.  I ask how can we deal with this, what would best help you to do the things that must need doing and if you can't do them, how about if I help?  Nope.  He says.  Draws the line in the sand.  As do I because we can't have the issues we had yesterday.  It's not just me being prissy.  It's hygiene.  E. coli etc.  Finally I lost it and as he argued I said, 'Go away.  I mean it.  Go away!'  And then of course feel like a complete shit because he can't help how he is and it's up to me to be the adult.  Sigh.  It's a process.

All is well between us today.  I do apologize after I've calmed down and he graciously accepts my apology.

On a lighter note.  We've had 3 visiting cockatoos today.  Wanted to attract them to entertain Richard.  He misses Caruso still although he realizes releasing him was the right thing to do.  Knew there were some newbies in the area for I saw a resident cockatoo trying to drive off one of the interlopers.  The newbies have been quite vocal too.  Don't know if they've come from out west where the drought drives them east or if they are released birds.  The big male is either very bold (although cautious) or has known humans in the past.  He listens attentively when I talk to him.