Jonathan: With all the painting at both Carrick and Askernish now finished, I started today with a treat: a lovely crisp and clean brand new boiler suit and a matching pair of dark blue work gloves.  Now I can step out into the world look it back in the face ;~)  But after pride comes ….    an overflowing septic tank.    [Those of a particularly orderly disposition accustomed to other folk doing their dirty work are advised at this point to find another blog to browse – can I suggest Charlie and Camilla’s?]  Our tank is not really big enough, and with me in exile last year the clean-out got missed last year. Anyway, there’s Denise and I this afternoon, struggling with a 30m length of armoured so-called flexible hosing, our submersible pump and spattered with … now don’t grimace, it’s only like on a dairy farm, spreading the contents of the slurry tank onto the fields.  Anyway, this evening, cleaned up and cheered up with a bottle of wine we could celebrate a job well done: untimely and unwelcome it is true, but over the past 8 years our £650 pump has now more than paid for itself (a pump out by Scottish Water costs over £150, an emergency visit far more); but our compost heaps greatly enriched as well. (Photo: outlet from pump is 50mm, unit is about 350mm high, but weighs ~20kg!!) Aren’t those daffodils beautiful! Mmmm, those tomatoes really are tasty!