Sunny.

A full day of sun today after 2 mostly sunny days. People are already calling it a heatwave - we're easily pleased us Brits. I had ordered some cork tiles for the kitchen floor yesterday and it was free next day delivery! I sat outside and multi-tasked; drying my hair in the sun, waiting for the delivery or a phone call to say they were lost and on rook scaring duty. The rookery next door is bad enough but the fledglings are now looking for sites to set up new rookeries including the trees around the house.  As soon as we see any rooks in those trees we fire at them with the air rifle. The pellets won't injure them but will sting if they hit. Those rooks are so bold. The other day I came home and saw that there were about 6 in the tree. I went in, got the rifle, fired a couple of pellets and they just sat there looking at me. It took quite a few more pellets before most of them cleared off. But I had to make sure the call bird left too. This is the scout that goes into new territory, checks for danger and then calls the rest of the gang. Theses call birds are crafty and hide behind the branches. You have to sight on them and fire 3 or 4 times before they go. While I was multi-tasking I looked up from my book, yes I was reading too, and saw a pair of ears popping up behind the single tree left in the hedge. It was the hind who once again was on our side of the fence. I watched her for a bit then called out to give her a scare and she ran off up along the stream.

I was teaching another Year 2 class in the afternoon. Again they were thinking of their memories of school. One of their favourite memories was when their teacher sat down on a post-it block on her chair and when she stood up all the pages zig-zagged out like a tail.

At the end of the day one of the class turned green and threw up. Luckily the teaching assistant had come back into class, noticed his face change and got him to the sink in time. Poor kid. We're not sure if it was a bug or too much sun. Another TA had a child throw up all all over the table they were working at - yuck.

Despite having tracked my parcel to Exeter, 50 miles away, at 9.00 it hadn't arrived when I left for work so I stuck a note on the door asking them to leave it in the porch or if a signature was needed to take it to the stables next door. I did some shopping after work and didn't get home until 6.30. No parcel had arrived so I was just unloading my car before driving over to the stables when Jack turned up on the quad bike with my parcel on the back and Neville on the front. Apparently the rooks are driving them mad too. Here Peter is showing Jack our air rifle which is a metal full weight replica of whatever gun it is. Like most young boys 8 year old Jack is very keen on guns and all things military.