Reds

A bit of a last minute blip this. The front room with reddish aberrations.

Intermittent splitting of the Holm Oak today between the rain. I had to resort to the mighty smasher. As I bet the whole operation has conjured a viewer out of the ether to size up the house. I'm kind of hoping they won't put in an offer.  Which wouldnt be hard as gales and driving mizzle are predicted for tomorrow. I rewrote the particulars for the house. Maybe I should have been an estate agent.

Joke: Why don't estate agents look at the window in the morning. Cos they'd have nothing to do in the afternoon.

The Principal continues poorly. John asking what might 'finish him off' with a divided sense of wanting to stay and maybe wanting to go. I resolved to get him more chocolates in the meantime. He asked for Milk Tray. Best hang, on I said. He agreed. At least until the chocolates have arrived.

His niece has arrived from Germany which is nice.

A tea of tuna and cannelloni beans with sauteed chopped shallots, garlic, purple onion, chopped kalamata olives, sweet red peppers, jalapeno peppers, carrots, mushrooms and a dash of mango chutney mixed in. The jarred Albacore tuna is particularly good in this. With a glass of Argentinian Malbec which oddly didn't clash with the tuna. This is my standby emergency tea from tins. The Kalamata olives give it a lovely smokey/vinegary depth of flavour while the chutney adds a touch of sweetness. Make sure to give the beans a good rinse from the tin to get rid of that gooey 'juice'.

Buon appetito