Today is the longest day and tomorrow the nights start drawing in. Hooray! All my days are long - what's new. Why is it that something goes wrong every sodding day? I fed my guests and the cleaner came in, I did the laundry and then thought I would finish off the lawn mowing, namely the woodland garden and the stables garden. As I was in a hurry I thought I would use the ride on mower to mow the summerhouse garden (usually done with push mower). I completely misjudged the gap to get in and got the mower stuck between a post and the wall. It wouldn't go forward and it wouldn't go backwards! Great. Because it is hydrostatic l couldn't turn the engine off as it goes nowhere like that. Fortunately in the garage I have a 2.5 ton jack, well actually I have every conceivable tool and gadget, but the jack was what I wanted. I pulled it down the garden and jacked up the mower so that I could saw off the post which was stopping me reversing. Job sorted but now I will have to get the gardener to replace the post next week. What could possibly go wrong tomorrow? One step forward, two steps back! Tiddley pom!
I lost the greyhound while all this was going on. 2 hours went by and I decided she had lived here long enough and should know her way home, so I was not going to spend any time looking for her - unfortunately I had locked her in the garage when I returned the jack. Whoops!
Camilla has been in touch from sunny Spain. She is getting a nice suntan, eating plenty of seafood and drinking plenty of Rose - did I want to know this when I am on a bacon diet. I lost one pound yesterday! She is flying back tomorrow evening and then at the crack of sparrows she is off to Dijon racing returning next week before swanning off to Goodwood for the Festival of Speed. All play no work if you ask me. Her new beau has a stand there or something of the sort. Not one but two petrolheads!
I am pleased to report that I have kept the Riddley Tiddleys alive for 21 days. They picked up their repaired car yesterday and dropped off the courtesy car. Unknown to them, but known to me, they had damaged the front of the courtesy car so that's another insurance claim. I wonder what Saga Insurance think of that! They are leaving tomorrow to return up country. I asked them which route they were taking and they said up the motorway! Driving up the motorway at 90 years of age should be banned!
They have now been replaced by a nearly as old couple who have checked in for a fortnight. He is a retired vicar. Everything will be OK as long as he does not start preaching. Actually they are very nice and have been before, bless them.