In true Meldrew style, I don't beleeeve it.....

It has been a day of two halves, Mike was up and atom with a plan to start trimming the front hedge but put his Victor Mildrew face on when he noticed the rain dancing off the pond. I always have stuff to do and just got on with something else like bringing in the wet washing I forgot to bring in last night......I switch Mike's PC on every morning to check that Australia is active, it is a bit early for Canada but Debs is breakfast and George is Lunch if we need to talk. Mike had a play around on French e-bay which is dia! then the sun made an appearance and we set off with all the cutting, trimming and lopping devices we own. Looking at an over grown hedge full of bramble and rambling rose is enough to both be Mr and Mrs Meldrew and the first fifteen minutes is just purgatory finding the confidence to handle the hedge without getting pricked, bringing on a bout of tetanus....it's OK we got ourselves protected last month....however the anticipation of pain brought out the whimp in us both, we then found the way to work and pulled out yards of runners strangling the trees and bushes beneath. We got half way and had to stop for lunch, because that is French Law, and as we set off for the second half an hour later the heavens opened. We stood in the barn doorway hoping it was a passing shower but Mike started to look at the stair case and within 3 hours had the boards up the rafters cut, the engineering considerations dealt with and I just watched in awe that he can tackle such a big job without a cooked British Breakfast inside him. I have always been a little wary of the barn loft, it is very dusty and unfamiliar place, not my domain, but with a hole in the ceiling and a clear view to the cathedral space up there, I am now wondering how to find the cash to re-tile the roof so we can use this wonderful space. .....But we have access now and that is a great start. With the light failing we've had to leave the finishing until tomorrow but job well done and in true Meldrew style, just have to say...... I don't beleeeeve it.....