Ozzie and the White House.

The eagle has landed and we are now comfortably ensconced in the white house in Santa Rosa, home of Berkeleyblipper and Oilman.

Having spent time with them in days of yore in their Berkeley town house, we were unprepared for the space and light of the country estate to which they moved at the end of last year.

It is open and bright with light streaming in from all the big windows, while outside there is a garden on a hill, covered in multicoloured flowers, with big trees giving shade from the sun. Yes, sun, heat, short sleeves, sun lotion and sunglasses. Heaven indeed.

We sat out on the porch yesterday evening watching the unfamiliar American birds, highly coloured to match the flowers, feeding from the bird table while we sipped wine. It can't get much better than this- summer has arrived for His Lordship and me, and for that we must think our hosts for their hospitality in giving us house room.

I don't mind what we do for the rest of the day, I could just sit in the shade, read my book and watch the birds.