Friday

It rained overnight and when I crawled out of bed (I really didn't want to get up) Pearl had taken herself back to bed so there was no walk for her. Still, that was no reason for me not to go and I promised myself that if the rain started again, then I could surely turn around and race home without getting wet. Luckily for me, it didn't!

There are those rainy days where it is cold and you think ... this would be a good day to stay home in bed or watching DVDs (or maybe both) and from the moment I arrived at work, I knew I would rather be somewhere else. That must have shown at some point because at just after 1, the boss came out and said to Ch and I that if we were on top of things (and we were although I think that not being would have stopped us!) we could go at 2. I needed no second invitation so I told Sooz to let her know I would be on the way soon and did she want anything.

At that point, I was still sure that I was going to the Pistol Club for air pistol tonight, but once I had settled in to home, even having a nana nap - I realised that I wasn't going. I'm going to be sorry tomorrow, I know that now, because it is going to be raining - it's been forecast to rain for most of the weekend - and if there's rain there's no shooting (for me anyway). Ah well, it is about priorities, and I don't think I have done too badly this week.

The plover is still sitting on the eggs out in Hermes' paddock and given that this is the second lot of soaking rain in a week, M is concerned the eggs are not viable. We did look up the usual times on the weekend, and it takes about 28 days from egg to chick. None of us is sure how long it's been now and I didn't note it down.

Meanwhile, under the front roof, there is much activity in the swallows nest - none of which is going unnoticed by Tinka and Maggie who are still spending a fair amount of time out there "standing guard". There is one bird sitting on the eggs, and the other one brings food - and, if you're out there - tries to draw attention away from the nest.

Inside again, and Sooz had a big IM chat with her brother tonight. He is still in hospital but very much "on the mend" although there was some talk of a minor operation to "stitch him up" (which has more to do with how they've been draining his lung, to some form of humorous set-up).