Tuesday 14th July - The noise has stopped - for now

Our green-fingered neighbour was determined to save the cardoons. Undeterred by the news that they have a tap root up to two metres long, he cut off most of the stems and got out what he could. So his wife and I each have a large vase of large flowers, and he has three cardoon plants which might survive. Or not.

I left my vase outside overnight as a couple of bees were still lost in among the purple filaments gorging on the nectar in spite of the stalks being cut down and laid on the grass, and then trimmed and put in vases!  

Yesterday and today (it's now 4pm and the builders have been clearing up for the day) have been incredibly noisy. I knew it would be, but even so... We now have three deeeeep trenches across the garden

The shed was originally to the left of that digger; I watched in total disbelief as they manoeuvered two pump trolleys under it, one on each side, and PUSHED it, still full of everything, to it's new location.   

Still, we now have yet another huge heap of earth in the front garden, waiting for the man with the lorry with the great grabby grabber on the back to come. Grabber man makes it look effortless, filling its terrible jaws with earth and rubble and swinging it safely through the narrow space between the tall rose, the streetlight and the telegraph pole to dump it onto the lorry.

   Tomorrow they will be pouring concrete into the trenches. 

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Salmon fillets, skinned, cut into pieces and coated with one of the more exotic salad dressings (I recommend honey and mustard, and also a ginger one) and air-fried for 9-10 minutes at 180 was delicious.

Tonight will be rolls with coronation coleslaw and cold sliced chicken again. No thought required.

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