Garden view

A day to ourselves as Barbara and David took Doreen up to Bluewater Shopping Centre for the day. We walked into town for a coffee and various purchases including a shoulder of lamb for Sunday and to collect my winnings from the Grand National last Saturday. We also bought a couple of garden trugs from Aldi and carried them home along with the lamb, some chicken, spaghetti, tonic, ice, chocolate and parsnips. That was a good workout.

What was left of the afternoon was spent doing a bit of work and admin; emailing about a meeting then paying the Road Tax and bartering with the car insurance company to get the insurance for £80 less than they initially quoted and about the same as the best online offer.

There was just time to get out into the shed to sow some seeds; summer and winter cabbage, purple sprouting, swede (in some guttering as you're not meant to transplant root crops) and some runner beans.

Dinner was spag bol, hence the pasta. Barbara and David have a new diet which meant that the menus are having to be adapted. And all the cheese we were expecting to be eating this week is looking balefully at me in the fridge.