24th June - 3 dog morning

We've offered to take Petal for a walk with Colin and Blake while the Smiths get on with their preparations.

The dogs have a great walk before we have breakfast.

I go next door with the table and the icebox to loan them to the Smiths. I help Warren with setting up and to get the new barbecue lit. Just as we light it it stats spitting with rain. I go back to put Colin indoors (he'd followed me outside the house when I went to get the table and icebox and is still in our garden). Just as I get him indoors the heavens open up and the rain pours down. I decide to wait it out before going back to help Warren.

When I get back I find Mirabel and Annie-Mae sorting out the marquee which has completely buckled from the weight of the water sitting on the canopy. The tubes are completely ruined and bent. We try splinting them with bamboo rods but they don't work. The wind is so strong that they break one of the bamboo sticks. We dismantle the marquee.

I head back home to get changed as people are starting to turn up. Pascale arrives as I'm changing - she's here to pick up Colin. We have a chat about her performance on the previous day. She was quite worried about it but managed to pull it off and is quite proud that she was able to show her skill to her friends in such an environment. A brilliant day for her. I feel quite proud and pleased for her. I know what it took for her to do that.

We join Marian next door where Keith and Yvonne have also turned up. Have a chat with them before Pascale and Colin have to go. Get involved in the rest of the do. They have done a slab of beef on the barbecue. Its a lovely side of sirloin which turns out to be delicious. We have fun chatting and  drinking and eating. There's loads of food and drink. The weather holds off - cloudy and sunny still windy but no rain.

Watch the football -one day England will win a major tournament but not this year. TheItalians are too strong and the better team wins on the night.

I stay up to watch the Grand Prix that I've recorded. Disappointing as Hamilton is taken out on the second to last lap by the asshole Maldonado! Shame! Not a night for England.