There have appeared in a number of places signs that say ‘PYO’. I didn’t like to ask what that was all about, but Andy being 6 was able not only to ask but then to bounce up and down with excitement at the prospect of being able to pick and stuff himself full of strawberries. His is concerned that, when we go, someone should take a knife to gut the ‘green bits’ out for him. I on the other paw am as happy to eat the green bits as the rest of the strawberries. A number of the more enterprising people round here have already been to do the picking and have neatly set out stalls, displaying the already picked punnets of strawberries for sale at a higher price. My Mistress seems to prefer the idea that someone has taken the hard work out of it for her, but as far as I see it you don’t get the added pleasure of stuffing yourself that way.
You may be able to help me with a dilemma. Around here I have noticed a large number of gypsies living along the grass verges. They all have the traditional old style caravans and requisite horses. They only started appearing about a month or so ago and what I want to know is where they spend the non summer months? They can’t just magically appear along the verges for summer and then disappear in the autumn as though they never existed at all. They must live somewhere at other times, but I have absolutely no idea where. Are they like the migratory birds who fly south for the winter? Do you find a line of them crossing the Channel in September in search for warmer weather? To be honest if that were the case, the way this summer is going, it’s amazing they bothered coming here at all.