Polish climate and sheepdog reunited.

Wearing sweaters on the morning walk. A bracing twelve degrees today. Sure sign that autumn is here and winter in all its glory can't be far behind. To say that Wilf loves this cooler weather would be an understatement of epic proportions. Wrapped up in his double layer fur coat he is out of the front gate and off down the lane like a whippet. Nose down, trampling through the fallen leaves that carpet the verges, he is quite simply in his element. Far too engrossed in exploration to notice, let alone acknowledge, the horses and cows that wander over to see him scurry by. Sheepdog reunited with the climate of the Polish Lowlands. Perfect harmony. Porridge for breakfast so he's now asleep in the kitchen. Let me rephrase that. You'd think he's asleep but he's got that ' Please remember the important contribution I make to the well being of the family' look on his face and his nose is pointing towards the cookie jar.

The arrival of the colder morning weather is a reminder that the house needs some urgent tender loving care before the Pyrennean mountain winds start in late October . To put it mildly, 'the font' does not retain fond memories of the wrap around draughts and perma-chill that were our lot when we first moved in. Curtain material has been ordered from London, the stove fitters are due to arrive on Wednesday, and the builders have promised to come this afternoon to strengthen the floor in readiness for the stoves installation . Even the specialist joiner has promised to show up and insulate the roof beams . It would be somewhat churlish to observe that he has been promising , faithfully, to do this for each of the last seven months. I'd be equally happy if we saw the men to renew the gutters or replace the roof tiles that were destroyed when the oak branch fell on the barn.