Having resolved to take the day off, I had to find something enjoyable to do with it.  So, having had an open invitation for months, I went to visit our old blog friend – and my fellow wall builder – Dave, to go and see his wood.  He bought a hectare of woodland at the end of last year, and has been visiting frequently ever since.  It’s pretty well his favourite place, and I can see why.

The rules on woodland are reasonable, when one recognises that one can’t do whatever one wants without planning permission.  So you can sleep overnight for up to 28 nights a year, you can put an edifice on wheels there but not a permanent building, and so on.  Dave wants to be able to spend time there for much of the year, to keep its wild woodland character and to enhance its appeal for wildlife, and obviously he wants to do it all within the law.  He had several small grandchildren who love it there, so he wants it to be suitable for them.  And he’s done a huge amount so far and has plans for the future.  it’s genuinely lovely there and I enjoyed my visit.  I’d brought a picnic, so we had lunch and then strolled around while he explained what he’d done and plans for the future.  It was just what my tired mind wanted.

Tomorrow, Dilly has a PD day at school and her three children aren’t starting school until Thursday.  So lucky Granny is stepping in to have them for the day.  They want to make cake, it seems.  That’s fine, I’m pretty big on cake.  And I haz decorations.