Forehand drive, Nicotiana, Bizarre

Planting the last of the Nicotiana seedlings(Very Fragrant) which I raised from minute seeds. The earth in the flowerbed was desert-dry and hard. Had to break it up and scoop out holes and fill them with potting compost to make them more welcoming. The seedlings, once watered, sat happily in the their holes and did not flop.

Checking the word "bizarre" in the dictionary. My friend, Peter tells me it is the only word in English which is derived from Basque. Chambers says: "From Sp bizarro, gallant, brave, possibly from Basque, Bizarra, beard. The Oxford Dictionary, which I need a magnifying glass to peruse (Because mine is reproduced "micrographically) casts doubt on the Basque origin, but does refer to Basque as a possible origin. The French, of course, adore the word, and love to linger on the "rr" like an angy purr. And here's a new word: Puberia, (or to avoid misinterpretation, perhaps Pubberia, useless information of the sort generated from a discussion between the second and third pint.

A forehand drive, hit with the centre of the racket and a satisfying, resonant thwack, returning the ball into the corner of the court so that it clips both the baseline and the tramline.