Pigs and Dotty Sheep

The polytunnel is still waiting for the cover. One, because the cover is 15 metres by about 8 metres and even the slightest of winds could cause me problems. Two, Rosie has gone over to the UK to see her parents for a few days this week. So I decided to leave it until next week and also have enlisted some extra help. I really do not fancy a hang gliding trip over Normandy.

As I have had the boys to look after I have pottered around the garden, weeding one of the newly planted hedges and re-potting some plants. I have at last replaced the kitchen tap which has been on the job list for at least six months. It took much longer to change than planned and involved two trips to the local builders merchants plus the dogs learnt some new and interesting words. A Brit had previously owed the house hence maybe the the odd mix of Imperial and Metric plumbing - well I can tell you it just doesn't mix and makes it much harder to put right. I actually saw quite a few interesting examples of this when house viewing and these people could not understand why their houses were not selling. Anyway Rosie will be pleased that the tap does not now twist round or chooses it's own flow rate with, at times, some unexpected soakings.

Whilst on the subject of taps we have discovered, after being here 9 months, that we have an outside tap. It looks like an overflow pipe from one of the barns . I was looking for a suitable location for this tap and was following a pipe and found this 'overflow' pipe had a tap of sorts. With the aid of WD40 I freed the tap up and hey presto water. Cheered me up no end as drilling through a 60cm (2ft) stone wall was not an appealing idea.

Meet Crackling and Scratchings - they are Tamworth cross Saddleback pigs and we part own them. We have joined what can only be described as a 'pig share scheme'. They are not residing with us but with friends. They should be destined for the freezer around November time. Good free range organic pork.

Now for the best dressed sheep or why I have a ewe looking like a purple dalmatian (as above) - well we only own the two lambs whilst the ewe still belongs to J & I but is here until the lambs are weaned. So Wednesday they came over to shear her - with a pair of scissors. And the purple spots - all I'm saying is thanks 'I' and I'm glad we live off the beaten track and just remember she's coming back to you soon!