RED THATCHERS

The relentless slog of summer appears to have relented/ if only temporarily• It has been hot and dry for months now but this week we saw/or at least heard/ it was nighttime/ rain. Blessed rain• And with the rain came a gradual easing of the blanket of excessive heat that has enveloped us for the past weeks• Mornings are now bearable and sleep/ so recently a rare commodity/ plentiful• Or at least it would have been• Could have been•

Here though we have other drivers and they have ensured that the dearth of slumber continued• As many of you are all too aware/ yes I know we go on about it a lot/ we are chasing paperwork at present and that has meant a flurry of trips to cities and post offices, lawyer's office and consulate• Relying on the buses is none too sensible but since the Betty has been temperamental/ flashing odd warning lights at the driver at odd times/ of late we have been thrown onto the none too tender mercies of KTEL• Suffice to say that we have spent long sessions at bus shelters - almost as many hours/ we suspect/ as in those offices where rare and precious stamps are issued and where legal formalities are transacted and affadavits are sworn•

Mind you/ do not for one moment imagine that the farm has suffered from our neglect• Oh my word no. The demons in red have been busying themselves with all manner of tasks/ and G has been industriousness itself• Eddie and Ceddie have cleared the brambles from behind M&B's run and would/ were this live TV/ be only too happy to display their scars and scratches despite wearing full prophylactic clothing• They have also extended the thatching on M&B's run in preparedness for winter and are/ as I write/ filling drainage runs with gravel. G has weeded out all of her dead cuttings and continues to take the 2nd harvest - slowly• We now have samples of her lavender oil and very fine and invigorating it is too• We hope for more this year and perhaps some relaxing oil too from the type 1 flower heads• We shall see• Shem and Shaun redesigned last year's drying rack to suit an earlier drying session and the red devils executed the new design with some aplomb• I now have a semi permanent drying rack suspended not 15 centimetres from my carage roof/and thus out of my way in the normal course of events/ and/ when required/ it lets down to hang at waist/working height• Another triumph of recycling for the Felia crew• Needless to say the red brigade picked up a few extra scars during this exercise but they are nothing daunted/// they wear their war wounds with an insouciant pride.