Close the skylight!

And then the rains came again and it rained and rained and rained. One week of summer seems all we will be allocated this month with wild hopes that the weather gurus are right and we shall see some heat in July. One week of sunny holidays for some and sunny exams for others. One week of sun at 5 in the morning, of open bake house doors. One week of delight to be followed by the dreaded return of the rain. As much as the sunny week cheered everyone up and made everything easier, the rains have brought us right back indoors - turning on lights and fires for comfort and cheer. After the bread round,  the most important thing is to close that skylight to keep the rain out and the heat in. The next most important thing is to get on the Internet and find a house sitter. Tradition - and sanity - demand that we close every July and go to Germany to visit the family and take a proper good long break.  Dogs, the cats and especially the chickens that tend to multiply at this time of year stay here and need looking after, so  house minders have proven fantastic. Housecarers.com is a great site where people like us find sitters and adventurous travellers find places to stay. Twice we had a couple from Australia staying who not only minded our house but cleaned it, tidied it, looked after the animals and the garden and fixed all sorts of things some of which I didn't even know needed fixing. Bliss to know your house is looked after, your animals are fine and super bliss to come back from holidays to a warm house with a dinner in the pot a bottle of wine on the table.

That's optimism !!

So house minders are required again this year and plans have to be made to close the bakehouse for one month. Notice has to go ou so that customers can order in advance and lots and lots of plans are already being made for August when we return with new ideas and new energy. Last Sunday at one of the many  "emigration  parties", we met a friend from a while ago who now delivers twice a week from Kilkenny to delicatessen shops in Dublin. Well that gave us some ideas for August. Ideas that involve a night shift to have deliveries ready to go by 2 am, ideas that involve Speltbakers bread in Dublin delis. After the bread round is making plans. Watch this space and wait for the rains to stop.

They actually did after I hung out the washing!!! Maybe that's how it works? Have a little faith, hang out the washing in the drizzle and out comes the sun!!!