Hello again, got sidetracked for a few days. It's turned into a dreary week.  Simon is sick as a dog; he's been in bed for three days now and is running a fever.  He won't let me call the doctor--says he's fine, but obviously he's not.  If he's not better tomorrow, I think I'll drag him into Puckering to see someone.

Getting there is looking like quite a challenge however.  I'm not sure what the roads look like outside of Stoney Grove, but I'm quite sure that we can't get out of our entrance drive.  All this is the result of a terrific thunderstorm that struck last night.  The wind and rain tore through here about midnight in such a fury that I thought we were going to lose the roof.  It was an incredible storm.  There are branches down everywhere and we're currently without electricity (no pun intended).  We lost six ancient trees around the house and several more down by the lake.  Frank and Emma had an oak come crashing through the roof of the Hermitage, so they grabbed what they could and have come to stay with us in the main house.  Luckily, no one was hurt.

I'd been plugging away at getting the walking trails cleared and John, Chester and I had nearly finished cleaning up around the Temple of Venus where we found Fanny's memorial.  Now everything is buried again...what a mess!  I haven't had the heart to go and look at the flower garden yet.  Martin tells me that almost everything is flattened from the intensity of the rain and wind, but I'm hoping if I give it a day or two things will spring back. 

Well, I've got to head back upstairs to see how Simon is doing. He really looks dreadful and hasn't been able to keep anything down. After that, I fear it's an afternoon with the chain saw clearing the road.  Living here has certainly kept me on my toes...I'll write again soon...

Love,

Ann