Busy doing nothing very much

But busy nonetheless. Here's a round up, with pictures, to show you that I'm not a complete slacker, despite the marked lack of blogging, and the festering heap of ironing sitting in the midst of an un-hoovered house.

Summer is a-flyin' fast....

The garden tumbles about untidily. 

Some people don't mind.

So much seen, done, enjoyed in recent weeks! 

Wonderful, funny, entertaining, cheerful, utterly loveable Australian visitors. Here after some weeks in Italy and France, pausing to draw breath before the London Olympics and various triathlons.....

Loved helping out, took it very seriously...

Adored the animals, who reciprocated in full.

Turned toast into a banana-and-Nutella art form....

Were good at keeping themselves amused, indoors

or outdoors.

I loved having children in the house, and wanted to keep them for ever. 

Serene parents relaxed.

Perhaps too serenely. ("We've got loads of photos of Dad like that!" said the children....)

Got to know the neighbourhood; watched badgers, charmed the neighbours.

But  eventually, sadly, with much hugging of cats, dogs and us, had to leave.

We miss them badly.

But we console ourselves with days out. The Gardener is often rained off work (he says) and has to go out with me instead. Even if I wasn't intending to go out. The ironing mountain remains mountainous.

Apple store, Exeter; better than ironing.

Porlock Country Fair; better than hoovering.

Country cemeteries; unusual rules.

Little tin church on a hillside overlooking the sea; simple, rather sweet, interior.

Lovely place for Sunday lunch in the garden.

Dusk walks with Flossie.

Visiting the glorious Lutyens/Jekyll gardens at Hestercombe.

So there's much still to do! We go on holiday at the end of the month; we have a beloved street auntie from Newcastle coming to house-sit. Perhaps I should hoover. Some of that ironing mountain includes holiday clothes, so I suppose I must tackle it too.

Things may become a bit busier.

But this game - round the corner from my house - goes very slowly, in eternal summer....

And just for today, blogging triumphs over housework.

Nice to be back.