Brilliant.

Sophie starts her day by sticking her head through the iron railings and staring at the frogs in the village pond. The frogs seem oblivious to the ferocious animal that is watching them.

After the morning walk and a trip to the cafe there's time for a quick post breakfast drink before the man arrives to deliver five thousand litres of  fuel oil.

The retired plumber shows up shortly after with the air compressor to declog the fuel pipe. This makes a demonic hissing noise. The PONs prudently move to an observation spot behind the holm oak.

If that's not excitement enough for a day the workmen start clearing old trees from the village green.

Bob deals with the stress by heading up the stairs to his bed for a few restorative z's.

There are some people who think PON boys have an easy life. Little do they know or understand the skill and attention that goes into guarding a flock. It's exhausting.

Bobs doze is interrupted by The Old Farmer who rings the bell at the front gate. He's come to remind me that I'm picking him up at four on Thursday to take him to the hospital. He's come over to remind me of this once a day for the last four days.

Sophie settles in the kitchen in the hope that 'The Font' will drop lunch on the floor.

The days just keep on getting better and better.



Henry Tanner an American artist I'd never heard of until this picture of the Annunciation was shown on television last night. He's painted an incredulous teenage Mary against a backdrop of cracked walls, rumpled carpet and unswept floor tiles . She's dressed in peasants clothes and looking bemusedly at the angel who's come to announce she's going to bear a child. But what an angel.  No attempt to show diaphanous garments, fiery wings or halos. Just a top to bottom of the canvas burst of light. Brilliant, literally and figuratively.