For those of you worrying about the wisteria, good news! It suddenly burst into leaf in the middle of July having survived its roots being encased in concrete, the coldest winter of all time, and THE GALE in May which wheeched the leaves off most of the trees in Carradale. Strangely it's been the trees with multi leafed leaves (whatever they are called) like rowan and elder which have been incredibly slow to come out this year. But all is well now and even our huge Robinia has deigned to produce leaves at last. I haven't had the heart to tell it that it's right in the viewing line from the new balcony and as it's a rather ugly and bare branched thing most of the year, it's for the chop. Hate to cut down trees.

Mike is working away at the wall boards (a clinker built house as Walter says ) but usually has to give up at the week-ends as so many people stop and chat.