Today, the Tomlins visited for a barbecue lunch after Daniel and I set up the barbecue and prepared the lawn for croquet. It was pouring with rain later and so we lent the Tomlins costumes and went swimming. Back to setting up my investment software this evening working until very late. We had our wasps nests destroyed today. England struggled again in the sixth and final Test against Australia.

Today was our last day at home and we were expecting old neighbours and friends, John and Brenda Tomlin and family, to come for a barbecue lunch. Di woke me up early and I set to and did my morning routines. No Joan or Pete today and so we had to feed the animals and water the plants and flower baskets.

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It looked cloudy and the forecast was for rain and so I got Daniel to help me set up the barbecue outside the conservatory window and around the conservatory for our guests in case we could not be outside and next to the river. I had just set up the croquet lawn when they arrived. John, Brenda and son David were much the same, but Becky had grown into quite a mature 14-year old girl. Though still quiet and shy, she gradually grows in confidence.

We had our barbecue quite early as I had it ready; steak, chicken, kebabs, sausages and hamburgers that I cooked, and Di prepared the salad and rolls to go with it. After lunch, it was pouring with rain and so we decided to go swimming – lending the Tomlin some swimming costumes. After 4pm, they left we did some inside clearing up but could not do much outside because the rain.

This evening, I made a concerted effort to finish setting up our family’s computerised investment summary and did a good job completing the project at 1am in the morning. We called the District Council Pest Control Officer today and he was here by lunchtime and destroyed our wasp’s nest satisfactorily. England are playing the sixth and final test against Australia’s cricket team and are being hammered again. They will be until they get a decent team captain.