Airsoft Assault.

No, we've not been invaded. Romas, Linas and some friends ( not sure who's who under all that gear), are spending the weekend here , running around shooting each other with their new air guns. There is a very handy overgrown native woodland plantation just right for combat just across the stream. The kitchen looks like an arsenal at the moment but it's only for the next few days. I've been doing the earth mother thing with good home cooking. It was worth it to hear, "Is that the cake you made last time? It was AWESOME." Later their other friend said it was the best he had ever eaten. What was it? Only plain old chocolate chunk cake. My sort of cake, all you do is add the ingredients in turn and mix together. No separating, sifting or folding , just mixing. I used to do it by hand but now I use a hand held mixer as it's a bit quicker. What makes it taste so good? Just sugar, butter, our own free range eggs and of course chunks of value chocolate bar which I started using because it is a lot cheaper than chocolate chips. Eating it still warm from the oven is the best way. I carried on with the home cooking theme by making pizzas from scratch. I used to make bread quite often but when value bread was 20p and my time was limited I would only make it in the holidays. Now value bread is 30p-60p and often sold out and most bread is £1.40-£1.90! perhaps I'll start making bread again, at least while I'm working part-time. Overcome with their appreciation for my cooking I've made an apple and blackcurrant (homegrown) crumble which is in the oven as I type. I'll run out of steam soon.

Looking down into our valley.

We are hidden somewhere in the trees.

Nearly had some good wildlife shots today. I took some pictures of a pheasant in the garden but they weren't that good. Going up the drive this morning a fox suddenly appeared on the road. I had the camera on the dashboard but the only shot I got was too small to post.

Instead, some more garden pictures showing what a lovely sunny day it was today. I did some gardening but mostly reading and enjoying the sun. Lazy old me. Poor old Pete has to work this weekend as the PCT is moving premises yet again and everything needs to be up and running by Monday.