This morning was at least five degrees warmer than yesterday but felt bloody freezing. So the fire was lit, with a view to letting it go out when things warmed up. Still waiting.

Despite this tonight's temperature will only go down to 14, so it will be a rather cosy night and no doubt I will not sleep at all well.

Our plans for the day were disrupted when Judy felt she needed to go to Hobart to sort out some more of the inevitable business that occurs following a death. So Seb is  full of energy and really needs a walk. But it is raining - not heavily, but persistently - and that is simply not going to happen any time soon (unless it lets up before dark).

I popped into town and collected the whipper snipper and changed the line for the blade. Wow! Last time I used a blade it simply bounced off the clumps of grass that grow down the back, but this baby cut right through them. So a barrow load of 'hay' was wheeled across the road and left under the willow tree to stop it getting wet. I would have put it in the shed, but the horse was very interested in it, and I wanted Judy to approve it before the horse got to eat it. I picked out the rough stuff (stems of woody weeds and thistles), so it should be fine. But i try to avoid feeding anything to someone else's horse until they have had a chance to clear it (well, ok, the odd handful of green grass...). The horses next door nearly bent the fence down trying to get at it as I wheeled it past - they get concentrates, but nothing that fills their bellies so the poor things feel starved even if they are well-nourished.

More of the cuttings are heaped into two piles in anticipation of me reaching a fruit tree in the near future, and being able to use it for mulch. The lower end of the paddock does not have such high grass - mainly twitch - so I will not be getting as much mulch out of it as I am at present. The yard is starting to resume its former appearance which is encouraging. I will be happier still when I get some fencing around the orchard so I can put some muscovies in to keep it mown neatly for me.

Tonight I am having a really disgusting meal - a pork loin chop (not so disgusting) with potato gems (that's the disgusting bit) as I really can't be bothered doing anything special. Would rather loaf in front of the fire as the dogs and cats are doing.