After an early dinner yesterday I sat in the garden for a little while but soon became restless.The thing that was causing this? Fruit bushes. The blackcurrant bushes have long since finished for the season and it was high time they were pruned. I collected my hedge shears,secateurs,and saw blade knife and set to work with a gusto. An hour or so later I had all 7 bushes pruned to within an inch of their collective lives. I opened up the centres taking care to leave some of this years growth so as to ensure a good crop next summer. I filled the large garden wheelie bin and have enough cuttings to fill it again twice over. I have them neatly stacked but a strong wind will put paid the that. Today I am going to tidy up the mess and strim the areas I couldn't get at. The finally job is pruning the gooseberry bushes but first I need rid of the cutting I have. That job calls for strong gloves and a great deal of care,the thorns take no prisoners. I also pulled what will be the last rhubarb crop of the year and as I don't like rhubarb took them to Sue next door to bake something with.

Today at a little after nine if you listened very carefully you might have heard a faint prolonged sigh. The cause was the relieved outlet of breath from parents as they slumped back in the chairs with a coffee in hand having dispatched their little treasure back to the safe custody of the schools.
The long summer break is over and six weeks of peace descend before the let the little buggers loose again.