Sunday 16th July 2017

The weekend comes round so we can recharge batteries, or in my case, no copy and pasting for a couple of days at least.

And for really the first time since the orchid season got under way in April, there really is spare time at weekends now, meaning whole days are free for non-orchid related malarky. And especially with three sites visited on Saturday, and with the weather supposed to be dull and gray all day, we had a day planned in the garden getting chores done.

Only, of course, no one told the weather that was the plan, and from the start there was sunny intervals which got more frequent as the day went on.

We have a lie in, until half six at least, and begin the day in a lazy way listening to the radio, drinking coffee and eating bacon butties. Even on a quiet day there is bacon. As there should be.

First up was to prepare what was left of the lawn ready for it's first proper cut this year. The Yellow Rattle has all gone to seed, and as much of the seed as possible has been collected, so it is safe now to mow. If I was going to do it properly, I would harvest it on the old fashioned way with a scythe, so to aid the seed broadcasting. I go round all the beds and along the edge of the grassed area. It was just too early to get the mower out. So, next up the shed:

THe shed has been up for several years, and despite the application of a preservative a couple of years back, it is looking shabby. So, we or Jools, has decided to brighten it up. And then we get a brush each and begin to apply the undercoat. Three sides done, we decide that the side facing the hedge would be OK with just the top coat. Anyway, in an hour or so three sides were done, and we both smelt of paint, our clothes speckled with paint splashes, but the job done.

That took us to midday, and for me a date with the sofa to watch the latest version of Le Tour.

Should have been a dull stage, but it all exploded into life, with battles, breaks and then Chris Froome had a puncture, at the bottom of the steepest climb. He was 45 seconds behind the peleton which was going going a full tilt, but thanks to a team mate, and sheer will, Froome fought his way up the climb, passing backmarkers, and inch by inch, getting back in contact just before the summit. He must have been shattered, but had done it, and kept pace through the final 25km to the finish, and retaining the lead.

Phew.

In order to decompress, I do the lawn out back. Even with the rain last week, it is dusty and dry already, so easy to cut, and soon enough looks half decent, but will need another going over at some point. However, jobs done.

And that is it, with the sun shining from a clear sky, we sit in the shelter supping squash, glasses clinking with the ice cubes, and surrounded by the cats who were convinced it was dinner time. It was as it turned out.

We have cheesy beans on toast for dinner, followed by a huge bowl of strawberries and raspberries, this is what summer is all about. And somehow, it is gone eight o'clock, the garden looks a picture