A serious attempt at rotavating the area for my planned games lawn during the drier spells on a day of rainy intervals which made it a wet and muddy task with the girls ‘helping’ by picking up stones. Daniel was off with Paul by shuttle bus to see Louise and Di was at the unfortunate ‘Scouts Jamboree’ that was rained off.
Awoken fairly early again, but stirred a bit more enthusiastically this morning and just about made breakfast with the others. Fine rain first thing that soon cleared up and so I went out and used the rotavator to do some more on the games lawn. I managed to extend the cultivated area up to the slipway and cross-rotavate it as well to undermine the previously turfed area. Later, Debbie and her friend Amy came to pick up stones and earned 20p each. Little Della was not to be left out and had the largest bucket from her sandpit to do the same thing. Quite tired by midday when it was time to give up and prepare to collect Daniel on the way to lunch.
Debs had invited Amy to join us and Pat had sent her with £1.50 for the Happy Eater, which was considerate. Dropped in at The Handyman on the way home to buy a line level and line to go with it. By now the rain was falling heavily and it lasted most of the afternoon, waterlogging the gardens and so I sat in the lounge and read today’s financial papers. By 4.00pm the rain had stopped and I went out to see the results, which were not encouraging. Tea of grilled trout and fresh fruit for me to follow, then I went out and rotavated all of the remaining rough grassland. The earth was very wet and muddy, but at least the rotavator could bite and tackle the grass. In the process I got covered with mud splashes and had to shower and wash my hair once inside and spend the evening in my pyjamas and dressing gown. Debbie was playing with Amy all afternoon and Daniel went over to St Neots with Paul on the shuttle bus to see Louise. Di also braved the damp air to go to the ‘Scouts Jamboree’ on the playing field in Little Paxton. It was rather rained off for the second year running, which was a shame. A tiring day, but at least I managed to get the first rotavating of the games lawn finished at last. I think our rotavator will do the job fine, as it can ‘rake’ and move the earth from the proud spots to the dips by pulling it back as it works. My hands are now well blistered from these efforts, as I could not find my working gloves from earlier in the year.