Even Mike is having a lie in, so all is well in Brevands this morning.

This blog is surprisingly difficult to do in the summer because there is so much going on and I spend very little time at my mac just maccing. It is early and I am awake because the cockadoodledo is very vocal. The poor old chap has been kicked out of the hen house by the girls, and is sleeping in the duck palace with one of the new hens. I am not sure why this is happening, but my friend Peter who knows about these things says he is hot and wants out, my theory is that the girls think he is past it and takes up too much space in the brooding chamber but either way, due to the fact that he is out and about in the enclosure at will, he chooses to be vocal and this morning it all set off at seven o'clock which is fine for us but to Chris and Sam that is six o'clock in the morning and whilst on holiday, constitutes a disturbance, not that they would ever mention it in those terms but I know what I would be thinking as I buried my head in the pillows searching for another hours sleep.

We still have no rain, so after a long day out saying good bye to the PYC summer cruise in Carterer over a cafe lunch, my first chore when we got back was to water, water, water, I have not done the allotment yet and perhaps a little drenching whilst Mike is mowing the lawn today is on the agenda.

Mike did his visit to the dentist who never speaks, I go in to act as translator but he still doesn't speak so I watched with great distress at the way this mild looking man attacked mike's jaw and frankly I am put off. This obvious professional, is either not mild at all, or hates the English and I for one will not take the chance. I suspect Mike is going through root canal work and we need to go back in August to finish the job but we are both feeling very unsure about the whole experience, and what it is going to cost.

The cherries are coming along well, not quite cherried out yet, and with the help of Sarah's pip popper I can de-pip the last bowl today and make jam and that will be that crop complete, the black currents are groaning on the bush and I see the raspberries are off as well so this weekend is full for me in the kitchen not to mention, the tomatoes are reddening and the courgettes bulging. I have a ridiculous cabbage crop and I am going to start giving them away, Chris and Sam will have to take one home, Chris is a nutter for cole slaw and was so amazed at the difference in home made and bought so I have a convert. I introduced Chris to pickled courgette and he genuinely said that he had never tasted such a great pickle, well he is my son and I do love him but now he is god as a true appreciator of courgette pickle...with mustard.

We have spent two wonderful evenings outside catching up with Chris and Sam, I love hearing about their horses and what they are getting up to we have vowed to do this more often, we are going to see them in September when we can get HOSS back in the Kennel and do the boat show .

I have let the chickens out and it is all quiet in the heneria, nobody has raised their heads from the pillow so the country alarm clock has not disturbed too much, even Mike is having a lie in, so all is well in Brevands this morning.