Summer sunshine

Having saved up enough money to buy the stone paving, I finally got around to tiling the path between the two downstairs doors. The concrete base wasn't entirely regular, so in some places the tile cement had to be pretty thick to get a level surface, but the end result isn't at all bad: The grouting was done on a hot sunny day, so it was a bit of a race against time getting the stone cleaned before the grout hardened too much. The slightly odd shape opposite the door is a post-modernist attempt to make the path look as if it were formerly longer, once the grass grows over the edge.

Also - and definitely this is not my own work - the roofer finally came round to deal with some slates on the farmhouse and he did this extra bit of pipe to take rainwater off the barn roof into my new drain: More artistic than truly elegant, I'd say. But now we should have a slightly drier room on the opposite side of the wall - the floor level is a good two feet below ground level outside, so it will be nice if it does stay dry.

Next job is to get the Contrôle Technique done on the two 2CVs. So far I've replaced a drive shaft gaiter (which involves pulling the hub) and fettled the exhaust, which, though new, was blowing in an annoying way. With luck, though, when a set of new windscreen wipers arrive (10 inch wipers are no longer very common) I should be ready to make the appointments.