World whisky day

It was World Whisky Day today…apparently. People all over the world were having ‘events’. These events seem to consist of grabbing a bottle of whisky, grabbing a mate and drinking it responsibly. It was timed rather well because Nicktor came round to stay…but more about that later.

Another glorious day with no rain (pretty much the opposite of Queensland, according to Mum and Dad who seem to be surrounded by floods and very relieved they no longer live below sea level, like they used to) and stunning blue skies. It’s all very lovely but, really, we seriously need some rain. The south east is almost on drought alert with rivers drying up and fish moving to wetter climes.

Things are so bad that the blackbirds are having to use our bird bath. In most gardens this isn’t that unusual but in ours, the poodles drink most of the bird bath water – don’t ask me why – so the birds are quite lucky to get a look in. Or, in this case, a bath.

Do you mind not pointing that thing at me while I'm having my bath?

Actually I spent quite a lot of the day in the garden. Mirinda left detailed orders and I tried to accomplish a lot of them today. There were plants to plant, horse manure to scatter, grass to mow, beer to drink. Life just doesn’t stop. And life doesn’t stop for tulips either. The red ones have started to come out and are looking glorious in the sun.

So red, they hurt your eyes

And I mustn’t forget to mention the magnolia which is dropping its petals like a crazy thing…which is quite apt given it’s actually in the Crazies’ garden and only overhangs ours. Nicktor asked me whether I threw the petals over the fence, since they really belong to them. I said I was too scared.

Always lovely against a blue sky

I also had a few household management things to sort out as well as making some last minute changes to the spreadsheet I completed for Mirinda on Monday.

Anyway, as I said earlier, we had a Nicktor Night tonight and after the football (see tomorrow’s post), we made sure to toast all things pure and distilled in the world of whisky with a few wee drams of the Eagle of Arran. It was a pleasure.

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And a Hankley update…I stole this photo from the Daily Mail website just so you can see what happened to what we call the monastery on Hankley Common. Apologies to the Daily Mail but I’ll include a link to their story as well.

Skyfall Lodge burns like a beauty - I hope Judy Dench wasn't in there!

Daily Mail link

We are hoping Hankley will be back to normal next weekend.