There was a distinct feel of autumn in the air this morning; a slight chill, a little mist and the leaves have started to fall from the lime tree. But by lunchtime it was sunny again and warm enough to eat outside.

Kieran and Nick finished clearing the rubble from the old pigsty; the rubble will be used to do the base of an extension to the garden shed, for which we’ve applied for planning permission today. The system is strange here; if we hear nothing in a month, permission’s been granted. They ordered some firewood today, too, which should arrive in a couple of weeks and will live on the now clear pigsty base.

We spent some time this afternoon clearing the rest of the packing boxes out of the grange; unfortunately, some of them were on the unconcreted bit of the floor and one of Nick’s coats has been ruined by the damp (we didn’t realise there were clothes left in there). On the plus side, we have finally found the address book!