Progress

We think we may have finished decorating, but will check with artificial light later to see whether it needs a second coat.  If so, that’s the work of 45 minutes with two of us wielding rollers.  Phew.

While the paint was drying, I called my car insurers to ask what my renewal quote would be.  A pound less than last year, but close to £80 up on a competing quote through the RAC.  Haggling brought it down by no more than a few quid, so it’s bye-bye LV, hello RAC.  And guess who underwrites the RAC offering?  Yep, a subsidiary of Liverpool Victoria.  It’s a pity one has to go through all this nonsense each year, but the phone calls cost a fraction of the savings.  I checked, by the way, whether commuting to where I practise my hobby was covered, and the call centre agent checked, finding that it brings the annual premium down by the princely sum of £1.  Let it not be said that voluntary duties are entirely unrewarded.

The birds we see and hear most of hereabouts are swifts and house martins.  It occurred to me to check their names in French: le martinet for the former and l’hirondelle de fenêtre for the latter.  Confusing.  I'll check what they call the black redstart another day.