Gatekeeper

There were plenty of Scotch Argus butterflies on Arnside Knott this morning, but I was in a hurry and they were uncooperative. The Gatekeeper on the other hand posed on a bramble leaf long enough for a few shots.

Then it was home, a quick breakfast, load the Fellas and their luggage into the car, and drive to Gargrave to meet Eduardo where the hostage handover was due to take place.

Now we are trying to adjust to the quiet. We shall miss the Bigger Fella and the (not so) Little (any more) Fella. They have been great company, we didn't watch TV once in 5 days, they came on most of the Gus walks (and even one of the early ones), they did helpful things (like cutting back the rampant ivy on the wall), we spoke in very bad German accents all week (why, none of us can remember). They gave me the encouragement I needed to work out how to use this new piece of equipment. After the handover, they were soon back in the tractors helping with the harvest, a few weeks of hard work ahead.

In the afternoon, I worked out where the blockage in the guttering was - half way down the down pipe. I gingerly took off the mountings, then eased the pipe away. Alas, the weight of undrained water caused it to pivot in my hand, depositing its smelly contents all over my lower half. Still, it's clear now for when the rain eventually returns, and we won't have a mini-Niagara spouting everywhere any more.

Now Gus is looking desperate for his evening walk. Back later.