Still no idea who phoned me - perhaps my email sorted out whatever it was they were calling about. I turned off both phones before I headed to bed last night just to be on the safe side and had a great sleep - partly because the overnight temperature was a little more tolerable. Not that it will be tonight. Seb got the fright of his life when I turned on the stand fan today for the first time since he has lived here. It was a necessary cruelty and I am still enjoying its cooling effects (Seb has taken himself into the bedroom).

I had only one cottage to clean today, and some linen to pack into the laundry. If I tell you it took 2 and a half hours all told that will suggest to you the degree of chaos they left. To be fair they washed up - then put everything away wet and in no apparent order - and that was the first of many things. The two burn rings on the dining table, the wet towels on the antique furniture .... you get the picture. Still it is all looking rather better now.

I will be turning off the phones again tonight as there has been a suspicious silence for the last 48 hours and I have a hot day in the Community Garden tomorrow so will appreciate any sleep I can get tonight.