The month started with an annual visit by a walking friend from Chesterfield. Needless to say, we went a walk! On Cannock Chase, somewhere I hadn't visited for many years, and yet so close. We started at Castle Ring and headed north towards Marquis Drive, which was terribly marred by fly tipping. Away to the east there were magnificent panoramas over lowland Staffordshire towards Longdon Hall, where I had once spent time as a schoolboy. The return, over Rainbow Hill, across a golf course, through Beaudesert Old Park and past the site of an old colliery, was less spectacular but no less interesting.

Phases II and III of my garden re-development were completed as part of the project to build the conservatory and greenhouse. I expect to spend the summer months working on the Lower Terrace(!), in readiness for its autumn planting. This delay gives plenty of time for frequent changes of mind as to which plant will go where!

Work on the conservatory and greenhouse continues apace. The superstructure is now in place, as is the glazing, once we could determine which way up certain panels went! A family coffee morning was recently moved to a garden centre so that conservatory furniture could be chosen. In additon I came away with a bird feeder, and books on 'beds and borders' - and Mount Everest!

Work in the archive centre of my old school continues to be a weekly event, now drawing to a conclusion unless I can find an excuse to continue next autumn. That shouldn't prove too difficult! Also, I was invited to attend the opening of a new wing, reported elsewhere. The groundwork for a couple of publications continued too.

When it comes to birthdays 69 is neither one thing nor the other, but mine was made all the more enjoyable by eight relatives and friends who established that my half-completed conservatory has a capacity of nine people!

To the young man at the garden centre two days later who, seeing me struggling unsuccessfully with heavy bags of compost, temporarily abandoned his wife and baby and came to my aid - thank you.