Nicer business today: once the washing was out, we headed out with a couple of family heirlooms in the boot.  Bonham’s were doing a valuation day at a nearby National Trust property, so we thought we’d see if we could get a view.  With one piece we got the advice and valuation we were expecting, plus an opinion on likely origins and materials but with the other, the auctioneer took a picture to send off to an Edinburgh colleague who was likely to have seen more by the same artist.  So we wait.  No question of parting with the picture in question, but we ought to know if on some remote off-chance we ought to identify it to our insurers. 

Nice surprise: as we shuffled along the benches waiting our turn and enjoying the lovely sunshine, a colleague from the the hobby that dare not speak its name hove into view with his wife.  Turned out that they were waiting to be joined by another of our colleagues and her husband.  She's from the same litter as me, as it were, having started with me in 2004.  She’s also the chair of governors at the college where Martyn taught.  I’m more and more convinced that these coincidences multiply with the advancing years.  Oh, and Martyn had met the valuer before.

The rain has held off so far, which is a great relief after so many diluvian days.  The pond is still high, and the grass is back to its winter state (quagmire), only it's growing like it's summer.  The mower is in dock, so we're battling on with the old mains electric job.  Not a problem - we wouldn't be able to cut the grass for a week or so anyway: just hope we can get it hacked down before we head up to our summer pastures.