It’s still raining stair rods and we’re still wading through mud to let out and shut in the chickens – though only two are coming out and going in these days – one is so doddery she’s more-or-less holed up in the henhouse with only forays outside for water – her food is inside with her. One of the others (Terri) has decided to try to hatch an egg and has gone broody on us, squawking and complaining when we take the lovely, warm but completely infertile eggs out from under her each day. They do this from time to time but they get over it after a few weeks.

We’ve discovered a fabulous website (tooled-up.com), which has an amazing array of power tools, just right for people like us who’ve suddenly realised that we can’t manage without things like a chainsaw any more.

So, this beastie was delivered a couple of weeks ago and we’ve got big plans for it but the bloody weather has been thwarting us ever since. I have been all dressed up and nowhere to go all day!!

The mask was bought today in Trago, where we’ve been for blackout material to black out our studio properly – I’ve been trying to do some shots and getting very frustrated with stray light spoiling the shots. I think I’ve said before that we both find it amazing that you can buy a chainsaw mask and ten yards (yes, yards – he’s an imperial man through and through) of blackout material in the same shop.

Still – at least the severe weather warnings seem to have disappeared……shame the rain hasn’t gone with them. I suppose now we've passed the halfway point of the year what we've got to look forward to is it starting to get colder, more rainy and darker.....

Blimey how different the weather was last year - there were men skipping around with naked midriffs!