Planners!!

The planning officer has realised that she cannot be delegated to make the decision on the planning for the house because it is in open countryside and therefore has to got to the committee. Yet another delay as it will be September before it can be brought up. The conservation officer came out earlier in the week to do a site survey. She has no objection apart from us preserving the Horse Chestnut tree which we were hoping to do anyway. The Highways have replied and state that they do not have any objections either. Hopefully the councillors will agree and we can get on with the project. Mum's memory gets worse and we need to be able to care for her 24/7.

Geoff has nearly finished laying the floor in the barn we are going to use as a workshop. Next step is for the electrician to come and prepare connections ready for e-on to remove the connection from the house.

Harvest is still continuing. It is rather stop and go this season. In between the stoppages the ground is being prepared for next years crop. It has been really hard owing to the dry conditions.

The sheepdogs are full of life. We are waiting for Millie to go to be trained, it is hard to believe she was so poorly as a puppy as she is so lively now. Lassie (see picture) is the noisy one and tends to be more shy than Millie and will go once Millie has returned home.

We have made arrangements to go to Belgium and visit the factory where they build houses in sections. The company are trying to get into the British market and the advantage of a house being built in this way is that it is very eco friendly and we can have a watertight shell within three weeks of beginning construction. Most of the houses in Belguim are built this way. We felt it was worth going and having a look before we make a decision.