IT’S OVER:

The bus pulled in at 2pm - well, it didn’t pull in as such, because it was much to big to get up the drive; but it stopped at the entrance & they walked across the lawn. It was a hot, muggy, sticky 25*c day & the 44 behaved like good Aussie merinos; they put their heads down & gathered in little groups in whatever shade could be found, having first walked all over the garden & round about; the top photo shows them making their way up the back. The bottom one, they have moved all the chairs into the shade & there is a group gathered round cold drinks on the table & the ubiquitous large plate of shortbread. (I needed 2 batches to get 44 pieces ! ) That is my kitchen door in the background. 90 minutes later they were back on the bus, but not before I asked them all to do a rain dance. The sun is over the yardarm & I’m going to pour a famous grouse. Cheers everybody.