It begins.

Despite the nature of their work the drainage engineers are an enthusiastic lot.

Twenty to seven and three teenage boys in red overalls arrive. They stand in the flower beds for their first cigarette of the day. At ten to seven Monsieur Bozo and his son-in-law arrive. Monsieur Bozo barks out commands. The teenage boys stub out their cigarettes. Son-in-law clambers into the cab of the mechanical digger. The morose lads move from the flower beds to the relative safety of the driveway. They have another cigarette. '' These plants will need to go " says Monsieur Bozo gesturing towards a line of standard roses.

Bob and Sophie observe this early morning activity with great interest. Sophie finds the smells released from the ground by the mechanical digger to be intriguing.

Bob is torn between joining Sophie in excavating and reminding the morose lads that this is his territory. He barks at them with just enough ferocity to make them turn and look at him. They laugh. A frayed starfish is dropped at their feet. A gentle hint that it may be a good idea to pick it up and throw it.  

'The Font' emerges to find the PONs alarmingly close to the mechanical digger. They are told to go inside. They settle for sitting on the front door step from where they can monitor events.

So begins the installation of the new plumbing system. By the time the German billionaires guests have sat down for breakfast we've transplanted four ceanothus and three standard roses. There is also an unmistakeable 'odour'.