Gumboots...

...might have been a good idea for our walk.

At last the rain arrived! We had been promised it all week and despite cloudy skies nothing fell. But at 9 o'clock last night it started. By lunchtime 20mm had fallen and it was gone. That is a nice amount to moisten the soil and freshen everything up again (including the raggedy lawn which I didn't get round to mowing yesterday).

So the outdoor beds won't need to be watered for a few days, the grass will be too wet to cut, weeds will be easier to pull up, and the rainwater tanks filled from the truck roof are once again full. 

I am having quite an easy day because my back is a bit sore for no particular reason. I am using it as an excuse to lie on the windowseat listening to Raising Hare: a delightful tale of rescuing and living alongside a wild(ish) hare.

We saw one today on our walk. Or rather, I saw it get up from almost beneath my feet. Then Bean got onto its scent and dashed off in completely the wrong direction. She really struggles if it's not a lion. Lions she's brilliant tracking. Honest.

My shoes and pants were dry by the time we got home. These are new walking shoes made by Keen, and are proving to be extremely comfortable. And totally waterproof.