What are you all up to

At last - the forecast is looking good and we we may get a few days without rain. We have some fields to get for silage and until today there's been some rain every day.

Yesterday we had our annual Soil Association Inspection. We've been organic for 16 years, and the inspection day use to loom large in things that stressed me out. But we're much more relaxed about it now. The stock and buildings are as good as they can be (better in fact), and if we have the correct paperwork at hand, and presented in the correct way it goes smoothly. 

Hope your Soil Inspection  was passed A O K , Goldie  --  do they count "Worms per cubic foot"  at all  ??

Was due up Cark Airfield way for a Steam weekend  but chose to give it a miss due to chaos on the M6  { Lorry Fire }  and a definitely dodgy forecast.  So decided to follow  more and more sports n telebox -- very energetic it was too,  popping back to the fridge at advert time  

P.S. / Edit :---  Hope your C E O {    }is not suffering too much while waiting for his hip operation !!

It's not so much the soil they look at. In fact I have never seen an inspector look at the soil. Though soil is very much an "in thing" at the moment.

OH/CEO is struggling, but with coming in the house for a pill and a sit down mid mroning and afternoon, is coping. Since the "good" news about a referrall to a private hospital it has all gone quiet. The housekeeper/farm secretary/brow smoother is getting used to coping with interruptions to her routine.

Baking awaits. Fancy Flapjacks requested.

RK I was reading the other about how France is making it or going to make it more difficult to get a Carte de Sejour by getting applicants to pass French language tests. Have they started this yet or is there a date for it?

Another hour first thing in the garden, then we had a visit from a man about our television options, then as he was early and dealt with us quickly I took the ladies Knicker buying to M&S in the Outlet village. In the words of MiL "That's about all M&S is good for these days" Then again she was in a grumpy mood this morning. I managed to occupy my time buying food - "About all M&S is good for these days" I muttered to myself, grumpily. 

Feel sorry for the Postman - He included a letter from SP Energy who look after the infrastructure around here and they have sent a letter to every address in 2 local towns about a cut to the supply in a  fortnight time for 10 minutes. Poor man looked shattered and about 2 hours behind schedule. Gave him a bottle of water but think he might have been more overjoyed with something a bit stronger.

Yesterday we made yet another local foray, this time back to the gardens at NT Montacute House (and the cafe yard where the cheese scones are excellent!) We diverted off the usual route just to look at some different things  and a view of what the Romans named Mons Acutis. It's a hill from which the village takes it's name. The Fosse Way runs through this area, the Romans got everywhere! There are small bits of the Fosse Way left (buried under tarmac) as the A303 diverted away from it, hence quite a few Roman villas and mosaics have been found round here.

I was looking at an old ch5 programme the other night about our Roman roads and it prompted a few travel thoughts. 

Sitting in the car park in Ruthin while supporting staff do the shopping before another 30 minutes to our holiday cottage. Traffic down was really not good and I did an average speed of 40 mph on mostly motorways. Anyway it will be all worth it as the owner says the hot tub will be ready at 8.

Happy times everyone wherever you are.

I saw a very serious E~mail about Roads, brue  

It pointed out that the Roman Roads were built by 'uneducated untrained' people and many such roads are still serviceable today.  However many modern roads are designed, and also built, by Highly Educated Specialised Engineers !! That's probably why they have a life span of approximately 50 years max 

We arrived on site here this afternoon only local but nice to get away. Wonderful weather warm and sunny so we are sitting outside the van with a drink and dinner cooking on the Cadac. Hope everyone else has a nice weekend 

Still not caught up with all the latest postings or to delight you all with our trip to date, but yesterday  we started off and finished at the first of these places and had our picnic lunch at the second, and then today we visit the third. Have fun working out where we went and where we are staying.

The first one looks like the Bowes Museum?

David