Flowers out front

When I first came back from the Middle East in 2000 I resolved to grow petunias in the summer. They had grown in profusion in Oman during the cooler winter (cooler compared with summer) and had such a wonderful scent in the evening.

As time went by, I became less and less able and it's been some years now since I have been able to plant some up.  And a few years ago, we had so much rain in the summer that the containers were flooded. Now I am very immobile.

But this summer, I was able to plant the container at the front with three plants and the petunia is blooming proudly.

Today has been occupied with arranging for the replacement of the exhaust that fell off the car in a car park at Leicester General Hospital last Friday.

I decided to use Vertu for the Toyota rather than our normal garage as I thought it more likely that they could source a part. The first estimate was just over  £1400 with labour. Vertu asked me to bring the car in so that they could check if the entire part was required. I drove there this afternoon. Lord be praised, the entire part is not needed and the cost has reduced to just over £560 plus I can pay in five instalments without interest.

The sales area has been refurbished since I was last there. You can now sit at a long table and play with your iPad or laptop, charging facilities are provided. And there's still free coffee.

Perhaps I should mention that we had rain last night, but the prospect of yet another heatwave at the end of the week 'dampens' the impact.