Rallentando

Al's shop gets busier all the time. This morning, we found it hard to put the new stock on the shelves, there were so many customers. Working conditions are still a bit awkward, as we're continuing to rearrange things and we're just glad that Eileen is still on holiday - she hates anything being out of order and it'll be enough shock to her to find everything in a different place and if it's untidy too, she'll be quite distressed.

I'd been going to stay all day to give Al an afternoon off, but he decided he'd rather stay, so I babysat Pugsley instead. This turned out to be an easy and enjoyable job. He happily sat in his pushchair watching me scythe long grass and then, when it became too hot (what a glorious day), we went and sat on the lawn in his garden. He ate a biscuit, showed me how well he can clap and posted shapes in his shape-sorter (he knows the blocks go through the holes, but getting the shape to match the hole is a bit random).

I thought it was time to change his nappy, so fetched a new one and took the old one off. He lay back gazing at the little weeping tree that shaded us and a huge grin spread over his face. The remains of his chickenpox spots have left his skin dry and a little sore, and it must have felt so good. I spread the nappy (a cloth one) under him (he was on a blanket I didn't really want to get wet) and he lay there cheerfully chatting to me for the next half hour, until his mother and sister arrived home.

I don't think I'll be needed tomorrow, so I'm planning to do some pleasurable gardening. On Thursday, I'll be at Kew. No Chelsea for me this year - I used to go for many years, but it's so crowded and so hyped I haven't been for a while. The last few times I did go, I arrived mid-afternoon. Much more pleasant. Noontime at Chelsea is intolerable to someone who finds it hard to breathe in a crowd.

Time for me to water the greenhouse. Ro is going to babysit and Al and Dilly are going to bunch asparagus, as there's no time during the day. Dilly offered to go, as it'll be her only opportunity to spend some time with her husband, and they are going to the pub afterwards. The Sage is also going to the shop, to put up shelving to display the honey.

I might potter gently in the garden after watering. It's a lovely, tranquil evening.