John is a window cleaner

I was obviously in optimistic mood last night. John doesn't cut grass or clean ovens, but he lives up the road in Letty's house and has a van that says he cleans windows. He is going to clean our windows on Wednesday.

Also, the man who made our gate is going to make another one, this time for the side entrance to replace the wooden one that Goldie has attempted to chew apart. He broke his foot 2 months ago, but is now better, so can do his nixers again.

I also got a recommendation on a Polish painter who I rang today to ask for a quotation for painting the outside of the house. He said he'd call at 4pm tomorrow. That makes a change from the normal guys, who promise to turn up if they get a chance 4 weeks later, and then have to be reminded and may never come. I have a feeling this guy will keep his promise.

Ian and I went up to Kilgarvan and cut lots of grass this morning. It was nice and sunny, though the grass was wet. The daffodils are lovely there at the moment. We didn't bring any home, though, as they are fully out so wouldn't last more than a day if we picked them. Ian used the new ride-on mower, and was a dab hand at it. He managed to get pretty close to trees and edges so that I didn't have too much to do with the push mower. We finished at about the same time and were home for a late lunch.

I also cleaned the oven this morning. That means the two tasks I had set myself for the weekend are complete. Now all I have to do are the routine ones, in theory. However, I've done a big chopping of the vegetation on the pergola and then planted lots of things in the greenhouse. I don't think these things are routine, but they do need doing. I suppose I'd better do things like washing and ironing and hoovering and yucky stuff tomorrow.

Of course, tomorrow is b's birthday. I suspect we'll celebrate it in the normal way that we celebrate....