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Hi Pigale

It is only 13 degrees here and so cold I put the central heating back on, and winter clothes as I am about to carry on with replacing the wooden floor of my sunk patio. I believe it is forecast to rain soon and I hope it does. Tomorrow, maybe?

I have no idea what could be done about Rio. I feel extremely sorry for all those who have given their lives to appear there this year and may not get another chance. I think the effects of the virus are so horrendous and the chance of spreading it all over the globe too real to allow the Games to happen. We may not have disease carrying mosquitos but they do in a lot of other countries.

Whatever happens, I shan't watch any of it!

Hi again Elle and Rosalind,

I have put my heating back on too ! 14C plus dampness is no good for this time of the year.

Isn't there some political unrest too in Brazil at present? I read somewhere that they were planning on a very high number of security officers etc... but the Brazilian police force does not have the best of reputation.

I certainly would not travel there, and it seems that some of the Brazilian people themselves are not showing any interest in the forthcoming games and not buying enough tickets, which is putting financial pressure on the organisers - What a mess!

Yes, it's gone a tad chilly here, too. although fortunately not enough to need the radiators on.
Brazil seems to be a mess... the president is facing impeachment, yet the tourist agencies say that Rio hotels are fully booked for the Olympic games.
It seems to be a mass of contradictions and contra- indications.
I suppose it is far too late to find an alternative venue for the Games?
Anyway....we are going to face the somewhat dismal "outside" now and go for a walk!

The sun came out very briefly so I let my painted lady butterflies go. I have had them since they were about 3mm long caterpillars. Yesterday they emerged. I looked at the weather forecast for the next week and 2pm today was the warmest it's going to be for a while. (Remember the predicted heatwave??) so I unzipped their gauze gage and left them to it.

You seem to have a gift with this small fauna Ros, I am hopeless with it; I am always careful not to damage any living creature when weeding (if I can), but that's about as far as I go.

Having said that, I was not a happy lady last week - I got stung several times by what seemed to be 'jumping' ants.

We were never predicted a heatwave - Next week is promising to be a great improvement - well, it can't be much worse! I do think you are going to have a better Summer than we are over here.

Thanks pigale. I don't like big fauna much, so it's good to be able to look after some smaller ones. The reason I do, though, is for my grandchildren. I want them to appreciate the plants and creatures around us. The little girl has had a tablet since she was 2 and a half! They came round this morning to see the butterflies and the empty chrysalid cases.

I intend to teach them both to knit, and to sew on buttons and mend holes in socks. That includes the lad!

Well, if you get them interested in carrying out all these little jobs from a very early age, you will then have achieved a great deal more than the average parents!
What about basic cooking (or pastry since you are a great cake maker) ?

Oh dear, Ros........ you put me to shame!
I can' t knit, and I wouldn't DREAM of darning holes in socks (but I can sew on buttons!)

Goodness pigale, I will get a swelled head as we used to say!

I have constructed pizzas with them, and they have helped me make a birthday cake for their daddy, but so far not done any real cooking. That's a good idea- the 6 year old is coming for a sleepover soon, so we can cook dinner together.

I was very impressed with some French children I met- they ate many sophisticated things like their parents, and had good table manners, too. I had to host a French teenager for a cultural exchange once- the school had a social for them all. The French boys had been taught to ask girls to dance rather than stand in groups at the other end of the room, and knew how to dance properly. When someone gave a brief recital on a musical instrument, they all sat quietly to listen without being ordered to do so, and they knew the words of songs to sing on buses! Made a change from endless Earwig-O

However, they fill the pavements of Oxford edge to edge from March to October and don't make way for the natives, even in wheelchairs!

Well I'm sure there are a lot of other things you are good at, elle....

Mostly you don't have to darn socks (I can darn and even have a "mushroom" but the majority of holes are small and caused by toenails. They just need a few stitches.)

Are you left-handed? I have taught several people to knit and crochet but left-handedness defeats me.