Z settles for Tea

I have caught up with the business paperwork, which is v good, but I've been neglecting other stuff - that is, voluntary business, which is v bad.  Still, as tomorrow is a Bank Holiday, there won't be any post to deal with so I should be able to get on.

I've realised that we're going to have to crack on pdq with the next catalogue - the auction is mid-July and the printers want it before the end of May and I'm going to be away for a week.  So the Sage has a week to get the china together (he's only got three-quarters of a sale-worth so far) and then we'll have a week to do the work, then Weeza can prepare the catalogue while I'm away.

Hm.  I may have to relinquish my lazy ways for a day or two.

I had a lovely time in the shop yesterday, Al's customers are wonderful.  One lady came in with an adorable spaniel puppy, 12 weeks old.  She was very friendly and affectionate (I mean the puppy, Dave*, although the lady was charming too).  A little girl came in with her mother and cuddled the puppy too.  "We may be getting a labradoodle puppy," she said hopefully, "If Daddy says we can.  He's away cycling across Australia just now."  I advised getting it as a welcome home present, but apparently Daddy doesn't really like dogs and is arriving home this week.  So maybe they'll be able to get him to say yes when in the first enthusiasm of homecoming.  "Remember," advised Al, "He can say 'no' any number of times, but he only has to say 'yes' once and he's committed."

That's my boy.  Teach a 6-year-old how to negotiate successfully and run rings round her parents.  It has always been my speciality to do the same thing.

Today, it's jolly cold again.  I haven't been down to the greenhouse at all and hope that cucumbers aren't suffering - everything else will be all right.  I'll go and have a look in the morning.  It's not been frosty, just a chilly wind, and I thought it would be better to leave what heat there is still in there and not open the door.  I've got lovely plants ready to go out, but the garden is still not rabbit- or bantam-proofed, so they will have to wait.  At least we've had some rain, but I may have to start watering before I can do anything else at all.  It's been a very dry month.

I've remembered that I've got half a packet of wine gums somewhere, but I can't remember where I've put them.  Now I've thought of them, I really want a wine gum.  I've got chocolate, but that Won't Do.

I shall have a cup of Rose Pouchong instead.

*The puppy is not called Dave, I was addressing Dave.