Juicy blackberries

Last night we had some rain and today feels so much better, not so humid and comfortably cooler.

Murdoch could enjoy his walk today without flagging in the heat - I saw these blackberries when I was out walking with him, they are everywhere now. I remember the days when the boys used to pick them and I used to make an apple and blackberry crumble - these days they don't eat much cake but I could maybe tempt them!

Thomas finishes his course at 3.30pm today so I am going up to London to meet him then, to take him shopping. That boy has hardly any clothes, he refuses to go shopping and now he has found out that nothing fits him and he has been borrowing his brother's clothes this week, so by necessity he has very reluctantly agreed to go shopping with me. Nothing worse than dragging a reluctant male teenager around the shops - parents with daughters have no idea how frustrating this experience can be! He needs casual clothes, shirts for school, a new suit for sixth form (as the last one only fitted him for about 6 months) shoes for school, new rugby boots...oh the list is so long - it will be painful and expensive!!

Adam and Jenni are enjoying Japan very much so far - they have left Tokyo and are now in the mountainous region of Hakone - it all looks very Zen and beautiful.