I sometimes wonder why I got to so much trouble labelling my freezer food when I pop it in the chest freezer. Today I grabbed what I assumed was a steak (but didn't read the label) and ended up having grilled goat chop for dinner instead. Fortunately it turned out to be a very young goat and the result was delicious - but it could have been nasty!

I awoke at four this morning. My deliciously comfortable mattress topper, being polyester fibre-fill, also turns out to be a tad warm. While this will be wonderful come winter, at this time of year it was an unwelcome discovery. Since i had to get up to clean the bank at six, going back to sleep seemed a high risk activity so I got up and fiddled around until it was time to head off.

I then spent much of the morning trying to light the fire. I have run out of my kindling supply that has lasted me all winter, and the bark I collected just didn't do the job the first time. Or the second or third for that matter. I just got it blazing nicely and voila - the clouds cleared and it turned out hot and sunny. So now I have the window open to cool the house down from the efforts of the cast iron heater... You can't win when the weather is doing what it is at present.