Digestives

I'm resorting to blogging in an attempt to divert my attention away from the Japan Scotland game. Games that actually matter to me make me feel sick with tension. Japan have just scored the first goal, and it's almost unbearable. Scotland were put off their stride by an offside call that wasn't. At least the Scottish national anthem was beautiful.

The rain has continued here in the sometimes sultry south west corner of France; there have been a couple of warm sunny days, but not enough to get my legs brown. The brownness of my legs is my gauge of a good summer. They're very pale at the moment. With bruises. My main activity this week has been weeding the top vegetable plot. I've been out in the rain wearing wellies, waterproof trousers, jacket and hat, all day, every day. You might think this would make me feel even more Eeyore than usual, but, to be honest, I couldn't have been happier. I do love donkey work; it offers a chance for self indulgent daydreaming. It's not all daydreaming, however. In my head, I obsessively replay conversations with French people that could have been better managed on my part. My main conversation this week was with the Scopelec man sent by Orange to repair our phone/internet line. He came in, talking nineteen to the dozen, directing himself around the sitting room and opening cupboards. I could understand most of what he was saying, but I didn't really find an opportunity to respond fully in French, as he was in and out and all over the place. I usually offer coffee, but he didn't stay still long enough! He fixed the line somewhere down the lane, came back with a thumbs up and then he was gone.

These photos show the creeping progress in my green battle. I'm leaving the weeds amongst the potatoes off to the right there, as I'll be earthing those up over the next few weeks; the weeds might not survive that. (Who am I kidding?)

More than half of my green beans have been eaten by slugs, so I've planted a whole new crop in the gaps. And I've added a dose of horrid blue slug pellets. Gardeners on-line have suggested using broken egg shells, wood ash, cat litter or sweet chestnut cases in a bid to be more environmentally friendly. I will try these methods, but, on this occasion, my determination is blue.

That wheelie trug is the worst designed item ever invented. I think I bought it at Dunelm. The wheelbase is so narrow, that when you're trying to wheel it to the compost heap, it invariably tips over sideways, depositing the weeds on the ground. I say 'wheel', but it's really more of a drag. I actually hate it.

There's still no sign of the spinach or sweetcorn, so I can't weed those parts yet, just in case they're there, but looking decidedly weedy. Now, I know I told you that I was weeding in the rain, and these photos appear to display some sunshine, but that's just because I only brought my camera out when the rain had briefly stopped. True. Here's the back of my waterproof trousers to show the degree of my muddiness. To protect my back, I do half of the weeding on my feet, hanging over, and the other half sitting on a piece of rubber sheeting. Fifty hours of weeding presents quite a challenge to a back. Mine's survived this episode.

And now a penalty to Japan that shouldn't really have been. 2 - 0. Great, little Claire Emslie's on. Penalty to Scotland not awarded. Japan's handball ignored by referee. GOAL!!!!!! Come on Scotland! 2 - 1.

The slugs have been extremely cruel to me on the potager. I planted out five young butternut squash plants this morning, and this afternoon they were gone!

I may have gone overboard with the blue slug pellets... This was actually an accidental spillage next to the celeriac, which the slugs appear to have no interest in. Typical.

There's the whistle. Okay, so Japan won. Well done, Japan. Pfft!

The grass has been so long when we've finally been able to cut it that there're a lot of cuttings messing up the 'lawn'. We decided to utilise the antique hay rakes. They do the job really well, but after telling off Kevin for breaking a few teeth on his, mine snapped in half. Oops.

We still haven't been able to mow the other six acres, and Farmer Joel hasn't been able to cut it either, as it's been too wet. He follows a very strict process: cut, line up, leave, turn over, gather, roll into balls. The weather looks good for next week, so, hopefully, he'll get the job done. It's really spoiling our golf practice!

Oh, I do love the Japanese... the fans are busy collecting up all of the rubbish in the stands.

Meanwhile, up in the master bedroom, the little windows are going in! Kevin installed the left-hand window and crafted a sort of sill. I got on with the liming. It's not pretty, but it's done. I'm actually out of practice doing vertical liming; all of my recent work has been on the terrace.

Now that we've removed our bed, Kevin can continue taping and jointing. Next step is rubbing down and painting, and then we'll be able to move back in.