Time to start big plans!

I've just had a call from the local polytechnic nanny tutor. I said I'd only take a student this year if they were stuck as my part time work makes it a bit fiddly. But they are indeed stuck for host families and my childminder (who is a completely wonderful woman) is happy to help by having her during the nine hours a week that I do paid work.

So this means the nanny student can look after the children while I garden as much as possible for the next two weeks. I'll probably lay her low with some disease despite our own good health. No less than three students took sick during placements with me last year. Pneumonia, tonsilitis, arthritis.

Also this morning I took possession of 6 cubic metres of oregon, a type of wood which will burn very hot I'm told. So we now have beech, pine and oregon. We may burn a little coal overnight if the weather turns very cold mid-winter. This winter wood buying and stacking makes me feel more in tune with the seasons than when we relied on gas or electricity in London and in Auckland.