This morning, at his request, I took Hector, our Spanish house guest, to the pub to watch the football. Expectations in the England camp were running high pre-match as we settled into our positions with a pre-eleven o’clock pint – not something that I do on a regular, or even an irregular basis. In the event there were few occasions to rouse the partisan crowd, apart from when the penalty was saved by the irrepressible Mary Earps. I was hoping for the sake of Hector that there would not be too much anti-Spanish sentiment in the bar, but it being the lovely Fox & Hounds in Steeple Bumpstead I need not have worried, everyone was impeccably behaved and very fair, recognising that on the day the best team won.
Esther, Hector and baby Axel have had a busy week. There were trips to Kentwell Hall, Bury, Cambridge, Clare Country Park, and an afternoon visiting Moyns Park that included a picnic in the orchard. The weather has been fine since their arrival making the visit all the more enjoyable. It was Axel’s first birthday last Monday, and he is right on the cusp of walking unassisted, in fact he has managed the odd step or two on his own. He has busied himself with dog bowls, fridge magnets, watering cans, stones, sticks, in fact anything just as long as it is not actually a toy. They fly back to Pamplona tomorrow, hopefully with happy memories of their holiday. It has been lovely hosting them, but when you get to a certain age a one year old certainly makes you feel your years, and the quiet will be blissful!
On Friday night the heart of Suffolk had quite a storm, evidenced by the deep puddles that I encountered as I approached Wyken yesterday morning for the farmers’ market. This came as something of a surprise, because down on the Essex/Suffolk border only 2mm of rain fell. I know that prior to the past couple of weeks there has been more than enough precipitation (how lush is the grass for August?), but I was quite hoping for a decent shower to freshen things up – particularly the beans and squash. The week ahead is looking pretty decent too, but at least there are some heavy dews.
I got to see some meteors last Sunday and Monday nights. The sky wasn’t completely clear, but there were some sufficient breaks to view some really good ‘shooters’. I am constantly amazed by how many satellites can be seen in a relatively short period of time, there must be so many of them.
I will be picking Discovery apples this week, there is quite a good crop of them. Otherwise it’s pretty much the same as last week, but without the broccoli, and pesto is Basil rather than Sorrel.
Because it’s the last night for our guests I really need to go and play the jovial host, so forgive me for short changing you again this week. Next week is a Bank Holiday, but everything will be as normal. Ta ta for now
Phil