Wet.

Saturday morning means a chance to catch up on sleep for both of us. One of the main factors pushing us towards downsizing is being able to give up our jobs and take things a little easier. It is a hard fact to acknowledge but as we get older our stamina decreases not to mention joints and things that cease to work and we need longer recovery time after tackling projects in the house and garden. Simply having to work 5 days a week in a factory wears Peter out and I would find it hard to cope with full-time teaching. So I plod on with the sorting out and the basic DIY around the place. Peter spoke to the tank people and they will be going ahead asap. The morning was dry and the brief appearance of the sun had me out splitting more wood. I've also rearranged the remaining logs especially the ones leaning at the back of the shed as they've got a bit wet and some weird orange mould is growing on them. After that |I cut back the tall grasses growing in the bed by the septic tank. It doesn't hurt to cut them back in the spring and as workmen often seem to think "It's only a plant and will grow back." as they trample all over a garden I wanted the slightly raised stone covered bed to be obvious. I built the bed to ensure that large vehicles did not drive over the top of the expensive waste water system and the tall grasses do a good job of screening the tank lids and ventilation pipe. I had just finished that job when the forecast heavy rain started. 

The start of the next bit of wall.-  I haven't used cement as the stones are pretty large. Part of my plan is to put the broken up concrete, from the old manhole shaft, in the space behind the wall and then generally level up the edge of the lawn behind the wall. An acanthus (Bear's Breeches) plant that is currently competing with a small oak tree should fill in the biggest gap and then I'll plant a small ornamental grass on the slope between the lawn and the wall. The grasses in front of the wall are looking a bit suspect. I'll try transplanting some smaller seedlings but if as I suspect it's too wet and clayey there then I can put in montbretia as that it as tough as old boots.