Mrs Downs Diary

But no. John is fortunately not tuned into shopping so is easily hoodwinked by the simple ruse of letting new clothes lie around in a heap for a day or two before I wear them. Then when the time comes to actually to put the stuff on, he '“ so the theory goes '“ has subliminally accepted their presence in my wardrobe. That's what I think anyway. He probably knows all the time and just goes along with the game.

But what he had really not seen before was a red kite flying over the tractor. Not a kite kite. But a bird kite. With forked tail, the lot. He was very excited. Not too thrilled about what it might mean to the game bird population, but willing to admire the bird in its own right and applaud the fact that it is reinstall itself back in the countryside.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette June 20