Beer and pretzels.

High summer is on the way - the sunflowers are coming out. They used to grow wheat around here but the climate changed four years ago and they've started to switch over to sunflowers in a big way. Give it another couple of weeks and we'll be doing our morning walk amid a fixedly cheerful Van Gogh landscape of yellow, yellow and more yellow.

'The font' is away in London. This enables Wilf and yours truly to drop any pretence of sophistication and revert to a beer and pretzels life style. Apart from grazing on beer and pretzels (water and Ryvita for Wilf) this involves watching late night rugby from down under on the television and then spending quality time rug surfing along the corridors of the rickety old farmhouse until the small hours. Rug surfing is usually frowned upon, something to do with damaging the rugs and getting overexcited , but hey who'll ever know ? Along with swing biffing, rug surfing is one of Wilfs absolute favourite leisure activities. After a day filled with the serious business of eating, sleeping, guarding, barking at the post lady and squirrel chasing there's nothing he loves more than to let his hair down and engage in an hour of repetitive activity. Hurtle down the corridor at high speed, leap on a rug, and then the adrenalin rush as the rug goes skidding across the tiles.If we're lucky there will be the added excitement of noisily bumping into a piece of furniture in the process. Turn around and repeat the process until exhausted. We partied until well gone midnight at which point one of us let the side down and fell asleep , on his back, in the middle of the floor.

Got so hot yesterday I suggested to Wilf that he join me in the pool. From the look of horror / disdain on his face I could almost believe he understood me. " Water ? Me ? "