It’s just amazing; last Friday we were wrapped up against the cold and the rain, at 6o’clock this evening, just five days later, it was 29ºC in the shade. It’s just a pity Alex and co. had to leave a few days too early.

We held this morning’s French class in the open air in the courtyard of Rosie’s beautiful old colombage house; does life get much better than this?

The peach tree outside the kitchen has been declared dead; it looked sad last summer and showed no signs of life this spring, so sadly, Nick and Kieran chopped it down. Masses of blossom has appeared on the apple, cherry and plum trees and the wisteria has suddenly sprung into bloom, filling the garden in front of the house with its heady perfume. Naturally, the weeds are growing faster than anything else, especially in the potager, where it’s difficult to find the remaining leeks and cabbages under the growth of weeds taller than them! I’ve spent many hours over the last few days weeding there and around the strawberries, which, again, were difficult to find for the weeds. The heavy clay soil is rapidly turning to rock under the heat of a few days’ sunshine and we already need to water every day. It must be about time to plant tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes and other veg reminiscent of summer; I think we’re going to be busy.