Hot.

The sun burned off the early morning mist and by the time I left for work the garden thermometer was reading 33C. I found time to plant a few self-sown seedlings but most of my morning was spent in the kitchen; baking flapjacks, sieving cooked apples and putting more apple slices in the warmer oven to dry. The trouble with drying apple rings or pieces is that they get eaten faster than I can make them. Last night's rings got a bit too crispy so I've cut thicker slices for the current batch. 

The butterflies were out again in great numbers enjoying the sun and feeding on the sedum flowers.

Today was my first afternoon with the new Reception children (4 yrs). This is their first week of full days and they are quite hard work.  Every year we seem to get more children who have obviously never been told no but are very good at saying no to adults. Hmm. I went and asked 2 little boys to come and paint a picture and while one came amenably while the other one first said no and then when I took his hand threw himself on the ground and screamed. I tried explaining that he could bring his helmet and the weapon he had made along with him but to no avail. So I settled the other lad to his painting, went back and simply picked up the protester and before he knew it he was indoors. And then he painted a picture quite happily. 

After the children went home we had a staff meeting on the new curriculum the government has brought in. The curriculum gets changed every few years sometimes even before the last lot of changes are implemented. There was a lot to discuss so I didn't leave school until after 5.30. 

Coming home the sky was all grey with very little variation and it has now begun to rain gently.