Horrible herbivores

Just look at these caterpillars on my lettuces - the whole bucketful and one long trayful of lettuces have been tipped down the bank. Julia tells me her dad used to get her to drown them. Perhaps I should have put the bucket and tray contents in the cut and let them learn to swim, the little buggers!

However, given we haven't had much in the way of salad from the RTA lately and given it's rained a lot and I haven't been out watering, I didn't notice their hatching and their hungry rampage.

So on yesterday's trip to Morrison's I bought some living lettuces to plant out; but prior to doing so I am going to sterilise the bucket and tray, in case any eggs are still lurking ...

Another blobby day today, following on from the last two restful days where we:

• walked into Nantwich to Morrison's and Holland and Barrett (both days)
• had a visit from Tim and Dana on their way back from a birthday party in Leicestershire - I got up to make cheese scones on getting their text to say they were calling in - lovely to see them!
• got thoroughly soaked yesterday when I made the trip to Morrisons alone ...

Today I am going to an osteopath here to get my neck, back and hips seen to again. Tomorrow we will move on and faff about between here and Middlewich (all of four hours' boating away) until it is time in a week to collect Leonie and Paul at Swanley Marina, a short distance up the Llangollen Canal.

Such a torrid pace we are now setting ...