Saturday 11th August 2018

As it is the end of the orchid season, or near to the end, just waiting for the ALTs to come out, it means there is room for other things in our free time. And I don't mean churches, butterflies, trains or beer. No, we had the garden to dao, and the bane of us with easily annoyed neighbours; hedges.

Hedges must be cut regularly, but then too much and it pisses people off. So, we were do a major cut, but not amputation, if that makes sense.

And apart from going shopping, not much else planned.

For various reasons, not least the cooler weather, I slept so well, not waking up until the hot water boiler woke up at half six, meaning with snoozing during the foort, I must have had close to nine hours, heck that almost making me feel human again.

Jools makes me coffee, and are all ready so we could go to the cliffs to check on the tiny ALTs, driving along the deserted roads to the monument. A quick survey revealed no rosettes or spikes, so the orchid season curtain call is delayed another week.

We go to Tesco, and because I am off on my travels again on Monday, mainly it is for meals for the weekend, and stuff for Jools next week, meaning we were back by half eight, packing shopping away and warming croissants.

And then, onto the hedges, with Jools and I taking turns in using the new hedgetrimmer, with all its add on gadgets looks like some kind of metal insect, but does the job, but with the strong growth this year, we have lots of clippings, meaning we take turns in taking four bags to the council tip and back.

By half twelve we were all done, te last of the clippings taken to the tip and all the tools put away. Just in time for lunch and the first Prem game of the day.

So I can listen to the games, edit shots, write blogs and in general be productive whilst doing little.

City kick off at three, against WBA, and in a crazy game, score three, miss a penalty too, whilst Albion score four. Wasn't dull for sure, but thats the first home points of the season heading to the West Midlands.

We have dinner early, so we can go to Whitfield for a resumption in card-based hostilitties with Jen and John. We had been hammered the last few times, but this time, we struck back, me even winning a quid or two, which makes it all worthwhile. John scoops the bumper jackpot at the end of the evening, which brings a smile to his face.

I had taken a camera in case the hedgehog returned; he didn't, but to my surprise there were several frogs sitting on the lawn, singing at each other, and were most surprised to see me with a flashlight.

And that was that, Jools took us home, arriving back just before midnight, and time for bed.