Wicked Wind of the West

Lovely morning - bit drizzly first thing, but fine enough later that I was out in the garden taking some photos to send to my sister so she can give me some advice on taming this jungle. Suddenly, at 2ish the crash of a shutter closing alerted me to the wind - which had come up out of nowhere. All the bits on the photo are leaves, and stuff, blowing horizontally across the frame. This was taken one handed out of the kitchen window, the other hand fighting the wind to keep the shutter back out of shot.

Loony weather. Later there was hail and torrential rain, which arrived just in time for school pick up. Perfect.

Still later, review of the kids' end of term evaluations (Katherine has almost two weeks of tests at the end of every half term, and even Conor had some tests this time) with much parental pride and praise being bestowed (particularly once I'd looked up some of the harder words in their reports up in the dictionary!) Then pizza in front of a movie and an early night ahead of the long long journey ahead. Actually, an early night because the kids are just worn out from a hard term at school - I don't think I could have kept them up another minute.

More frustration with workfolk today: the plumber had promised to come and finish off this week, and didn't show up, and the roofer is still refusing to respond to me about the roof repair that will stop our neighbour's house entrance being flooded every time it rains. She (the neighbour) was typically sanguine about it, but I fear we may be trying her patience now.

Now, ironing, packing and, at some point tomorrow, the long drive north: stage one.