Saturday....the BIG recount

It was just another normal day in the Luce household. The Cat was watching intently a small spider slowly cross the tiles......a woodpecker was climbing up the birdfeeder, pecking (when it got to the top) the backside of one of a pair of collared doves that were sat on the post quietly eating away.....Tom and Dan were counting how many tank films they knew (tanks...as in Tiger-Panzer tanks) ..... I was trying to explain to Bex how to plough a field (ploughing as in match ploughing....or in our case, breezing)....and finally the dog was curled up in her bed, adding to the ozone layer (we suspect she's eaten "something"). Tom was giving an impression of me dunking a digestive biscuit in his coffee..."I don't do that any more...it's fattening" was my response...the only problem was that I was eating a chocolate chip muffin at that moment..... much laughter from those others around the table.

We were a little out of sorts this morning.....Daniel took the dog out west very early (well, early for him) and all of a sudden there were no dog walks that needed doing. It was a little like a child that's gone back to university ..... we were all looking for something to do. But fear not......the garden beckoned after I returned from a spot of ploughing practice with Bex. Jill and I had "words" again...and the problem? ... Monty Don, he of Gardener's World fame. Last night the highlight of our evening had been to watch another riveting episode of that programme (my, how exciting are our Friday's?)...and, anyway, Monty was clearing up his garden ready for winter.....consequently Jill was on a "mission" this afternoon....ripping out all sorts of quite well established shrubs...including roses...much to my annoyance. There were a number of "conversations" about the benefits, or otherwise, of some of the plants that have been in our front garden for some decades......a few deals were struck (I'll take that one there out if this one here can stay) but no sooner had I turned my back that BOTH had gone. Gravel racked, and borders weeded...we felt a little bit better as we collapsed into the kitchen to prepare supper.

This evening we had ray wings.....a local delicacy that we have discovered recently...and vegetables from the garden. Lovely. I was even forced to take a photo (much to the disgust of the children .."what are you doing taking photos of food?") and with luck someone will find a way to insert it here.

Jill's been quite a bit brighter today....and with luck she'll be up to going out this evening...we've been invited for drinks at Hougue Bie....but at the moment it's Strictly Come Dancing that's monopolising her attention......much talk (jokes) about how she and I could have done a foxtrot down at Les Arches back in "the days"....I don't think so.

As I type Dan is asking what time we're going out....he wants to invite "some of his crowd" around when we've gone....Jill is giving Dan the benefit of her opinion....Dan not really interested...to be honest, Dan's friends spend so much time here they are almost family anyway.

Apparently I am using this blog to avoid doing the washing up..... thanks Tom....just be quiet and pass me that last Kit Kat that's looking lonely in the biscuits drawer. ...

Tom has just decided that now he wants to "modify" the dishwasher...he's just come to the conclusion that those "sticky up prongs" waste too much space....some talk of taking a grinder to them....not unless you want to buy us a new dishwasher Tom.

Breezing tomorrow....Jack VERY keen to hold on to his Champion status (I think he's won for the last few years) and Bex trying her hand for the first time. I suspect I will be more nervous attempting to "coach" her from the sidelines ( or "headland" to you Jersey farming folk) than when I ploughed myself. At least she can drive the tractor (we practiced earlier) and she also has a good plough. With luck we'll have positive news and photos tomorrow. It all starts at 10:00 tomorrow morning at Francheville (just down from Hougue Bie towards Le Boulivot). Be there or.....be tucked up in bed!

....and remember, clocks go back tonight. One whole extra hour in bed.