Monday 17th August 2015

Sunday.

I can confirm that three nights of at least eight hours sleep, and various snoozing when needed, meant that by Sunday morning I was feeling much more like myself, which was a relief. It is so unlike me to feel so worn out, then then 24 business trips this year, and the stress and waiting around of last weeks's must have taken their toll.

First up was to sit down and watch Norwich on Match of the Day (MOTD). I missed last week's, so City's first appearance on it for 15 months, and after the win on Saturday, and the fact we are no longer being run by that 'nice' man Chris Houghton, we were on first, which meant a little bit extended hihlights and in depth analysis by Ian Wright. Ian Wright? An improvement on Robbie Savage, but then anything is an improvement on Savage. Wright did not know any of the Norwich players names, instead said pass to him, then him, then him. The only exception was made for Redmond, who at least Wright knew his name.

Having had my spirits lifted even further by seeing City rattle three past the hapless Black Cats, we could now go out for a walk.

t is true that for four months from April to the end of July, I concentrate on orchids. It may also be true, like many others, I got a tad obsessed by them.

So, with just one last species of the season to come, it means there are more time for other things like walking, gardening and the start of the football season.

And having taped and watched Norwich's first victory of the season this morning, I was free to have a wander so we could check on the hedgerow's autumnal bountiful harvest, or what we might expect.

I took my camera along just in case.

Amazingly, the beans are still in the field, and out of curiosity I tried one, so taking a blackened pod from a plant near the path, I popped it and inside were three hard beans. I tried to ear one, and I manage to make a dent! A bean from a green pod was edible, but had a hard skin which would have needed peeling if we would have wanted to eat them. Are they going to be animal food? Who knows.

The piglets were pleased to see us, squealing and running from deep insde the copse: but we had no food, and as we walked on their sequels turned to disappointed sounds.

But as ever, the view from Fleet House was wonderful.

Down the dip and on the right hand side there is a massive field of white flowers, flax. From our house it seems to shimmer in the sun when the breeze blows.

Once you go down the dip, there is then the climb up the other side.

Along the cycle path, a series of horses, much like prisoners, lean over the fence looking for attention and some of those juicy tufts of grass if you would be so kind.

They were being pestered by flies, and no sooner had we shooed them off, they returned.

We reached the top of Otty Bottom Road, took one long look at the shimmering of the English Channel a couple of miles away before we turned from home. My aim now was some butterfly shots.....

And back home for coffee, and then the inevitable question, are you hungry? So I make a smoothie with the old bananas and stripping the canes with fresh raspberries, I soon rustled up a fruitastic smoothie, which we both sat out on the patio to drink and enjoy.

It was tempting to relax the rest of the day, as you can never have too much relaxing. However, I had promised to mow our neighbours lawn from time to time, and so before it because a jungle again, I took the mower round and began to tame the Savannah. By the time I was finished, I was hot and bothered, and although the temptation was to go home for a beer, I had a pint of iced lemon squash instead, which was OK.

The final task was to make some focaccia bread for dinner, which is always fun, and i am now getting the hang of kneading on a oiled surface, so 15 minutes of mixing and kneading and I have a fine dough, which I pop under cellophane in a sunny spot to rise.

I wash up, then pop Huey on the i player, as there is little better than listen to the Fun Loving Criminal do his thang on radio 6.

After just over an hour, I beat the dough down, make it into a flat,loaf, and wait for it to rise a 2nd time, by which time it was huge, and cooking it made the loaf rise to nearly two inches thick, and the smell of cooking garlic and yeast filled the house. At four we sat down to an early dinner: inslata caprese again along with the bread and a bottle of Wobbly for me. Whilst Citey ran all over Chelski on the radio, running out 3-0 winners. But by then I was on the sofa and may have missed the first 25 minutes of the 2nd half.

In the evening we discuss some serious stuff: we have been hoping to go to Japan next year, however the cost of the trip is large, and in the end we think that instead of travelling in spring we might have to go in the autumn. Even though, seeing the itinerary was exciting, with the thought that we might be able to go to those places. Or not. Even with an autumn departure, we will have to save hard, very hard.