What a wonderful summer
An old friend came to visit me yesterday and we spent a lot of time sitting out in the garden talking - would you believe we even discussed God and scientists? He is fearfully intelligent and terrifies me when we start talking. But then I think back to the first time I saw him - 7 weeks old, bum up in the air having his nappy changed and I feel OK!

Back to the evening meal, we ate smoked chicken from a local smokery which was delicious, and I made some tomato stuff for the first time which was delicious.

Bings Heath Smokery

Then we talked and watched the bats flying overhead. It was lovely to see them back again, I used to sit out and watch them most evenings, but somehow have got out of the habit. (Would you believe the internet might be distracting me?) It was so warm we could have been anywhere in the Med; even if the climate is changing and we should be worried, I am enjoying this summer. We finished sitting in the darkness with my Living Flame fireplace burning merrily away. Blissfull!



Jean Claude has spent much of his life in the UK and has visited me frequently, coming to work in my class with the children and later being dragooned into doing manly things in my home and garden. Throughout he has put up with my teasing him about being a foreigner in this country. However he seems determined to stick it out here and now works for the very British institution of the Met Office! So next time things don't go as planned on the weather front - you know who to blame!