Rain….

…..and not a moment too soon.  By yesterday, two out of three water butts were as near to empty as makes no difference, so I gave them their periodical hosing out.  Last night’s heavy rain would have filled them had I remembered to close the bloody spigots!  Still, a couple of hours’ heavy rain this morning filled the big one at the back door, which collects from the roof across the back of the house.

Today brought plasterers, who appear to have done a fine job, including correcting some awkward bits of woodwork and dry lining.  We were slightly startled on their arrival, one of them sporting tattoos to head and neck, and one or both of them reeking of clothes they had smoked in for several decades.  Good news is that they appear to have worked rapidly and well.  Not sure what comes next: we’re waiting for the window, decoration, plumbing to the new radiator, the electrics and telecoms stuff and the flooring.  Since the plaster has to dry, we think we may have a few quiet days.

In the garden, we have a couple of uninvited but welcome guests: a white foxglove in front of the garnet acer, and a probably bird-sown poppy at the side of the sitooterie: it is a bit of a cabbage in foliage, but has quite a lot of pink buds.  Of course, the weeds have loved the heat and rain of the past few days, so we shall not be retiring from gardening yet awhile.