After four weeks of almost constant rain, the weather seems to be improving. The last few days have been warm and sunny and much more conducive to getting on with some work; or going cycling, or sitting out, drinking tea, or watching the chickens, or any number of other things that aren’t work!

Having taken Kieran to the airport yesterday for his trip back to the UK, Nick and I intended to start some serious work on the house today, but it was such a lovely day that we ended up going out on the bikes instead, having a leisurely lunch and spending most of the afternoon shopping for such exciting items as a new wheelbarrow and chicken feed. I’m beginning to think, where the chickens are concerned, that we’ve been sold duds; the two big ones were sold as “ready to lay”, but in spite of lots of clucking noises, which my neighbour assures me means they’re laying eggs, there’s nothing. We’re thinking of changing their names to Casserole and Curry if they don’t produce something soon! They’re great entertainment, though: all through dinner tonight, Sage stood on the kitchen windowsill, shaking her tail feathers at us; I can only think this must be the chicken equivalent of mooning!

We haven’t been totally idle, though; while I cooked tonight, Nick hung the shutters on the first of his workshop windows and made the final preparations to hang the next pair (my workshop). Perhaps tomorrow I’ll start painting them.