The old summerhouse has finally gone.  It was dismantled the summer before last but the sections were then leant against Kenny’s shed and, somehow, nothing else happened.  I couldn’t possibly manage to move them by myself and I didn’t have anyone to help.  But we have done it now.  The mechanism by which it was turned has been kept – I just couldn’t dispose of that as scrap – but the rest has been burnt on the bonfire.  And young Stevo has replaced a few rotten boards in the roof and put on new felt and he’s mended a few places on the sides and painted with wood preservative.  It’s a very old shed – Russell said it was already there when his parents bought this property in 1928, though I don’t know if that was correct or if an old one was replaced when he was a child, but it’s certainly better than anything you’d buy now.  Anyway, it’s looking good and some things we now keep in the porch can go in there, and that’s good too.  We sat in the porch this morning to drink our coffee on a lovely warm, sunny spring day and all was well at the Zedary.

It was a jolly good bonfire too.  Very dry wood – I frugally removed several brass bolts to be reused: that is, one has been used on another shed immediately (thank you, Tim) – but the hinges had all been painted over and, unless they can be saved from the ashes, they are lost – the flames caught quickly and burnt hot.  Some branches that Wince pruned a few weeks ago have finally been reduced to a few ashes.  As I watched the timber catch fire, I noticed a panicking spider running this way and that, so put my hand towards it, flicked upwards and out and saw it fly towards the grass.  I didn’t see it land but was glad that it was safe.

We strolled round the garden and stood by the pond, discussing what plants needed to go in.  I saw a movement – it wasn’t a frog or a fish, it had to be a newt, surely?  We watched as it came up for a breath and dived again – certainly a newt.  Dearly as I love frogs and toads, newts are closest to my heart and seeing them in the pond makes me very happy.

There is presently a build-up of two dozen eggs and I’m looking up recipes.  I’ve found a nice one for toffee ice cream that takes several eggs, I think a bit more cooking is due.