Yesterday was a beautiful summer day.  The sun shone out of a blue blue sky and any clouds were high and fluffy.  The story hut attracted a delightful 4 year old on a scooter - who hurtled fearlessly about the drive before settling down for the story.  I spent a few happy hours sorting and cleaning in the Honey Pot - oh, you should see my neat and tidy book shelves - not a dead woodlouse or a cobweb in sight!  (Perhaps I'll take the camera out there on Saturday - and sorry stuck-in-a-book - all my books are in subject and/alphabetical order!) I mowed the lawn, I tidied (some of) the house, cooked supper and made lists. "Tomorrow morning," I thought, "will be soon enough to cut the foliage for the church flowers." Tomorrow was also the time set to tie up the gladioli.

In the night the wind got up and we woke to a roaring storm.  No rain.  So I made breakfast and baked some cheese scones for a tea party this afternoon and then I looked out of the window.  The rain had started.  I grabbed my secateurs and a raincoat and shot out to cut the foliage, was immediately torn by a bramble and completed the task giving frequent sucks to the wounded thumb and trailing my rather over-long trousers in the wet grass - which had somehow 'popped' up again after the mower had gone over it. (Actually it was clover rather than grass!)

I limped into the house with the requisite quantity of foliage (I hope) and shed my raincoat, felt the first horrid clammy dampness of wet trousers on bare ankles as I eased off my shoes and slumped down over the laptop with a cup of steaming coffee at my elbow.

The wellies, which I moved from A to B and back again at least 10 times yesterday, positively winked at me from the corner of the kitchen.

I bet when I am half-way through the church pedestal I find a big gap that needs foliage still happily growing in the garden... but tough.

Oh, one good thing - the gladioli hung on gamely until I managed to stake them... in the rain!