I have neglected my blog as usual - not from lack of inspiration but sheer lack of a minute to myself. Between deadlines and school plays and meetings and the usual end of term/end of year chaos, I haven't had a second. I am stealing this moment because there's a problem with an online editing tool I was using so I can't work through the night to finish the job on time and it may have to keep until tomorrow (what a shame).

Through my little window on the world, I watched 4 strapping lads move into a house across the road yesterday. Three of them are pretty laddish - there's a fourth who's rather neat and tidy and cycles a bicycle - he'll be the one that will keep the bills together and clean the bathroom.

Another one brought his girlfriend round for the guided tour today. Before she went inside, she tottered back out to the pavement to dispose of her gum - not wanting to mess up the nice house or anything. Before leaving an hour later, they treated us to a fine public display of flesh and affection at the gateway.

The one with the small, silver car is out now with his lady friend - who is less exposed. And the other two are in the back and off they go - where to I wonder?

This is quite fun - we may have lowered the tone of the neighbourhood, I expect these guys to, at minimum, raise it a few decibels. BTW, did I mention the police dog handler living two doors up? He moved in about 6 months ago and the following night, hearing noise at the front door, the mitten answered - to be pinned to the spot by an enormous german shepherd. This is probably the best possible position to be in when you meet a new neighbour who happens to be a policeman - kinda puts him on the back foot a bit and yourself on the moral high ground.

He likes to work out - we saw the equipment being delivered - and, since the lads moved in, he has spent an awful lot of time flexing his tanned biceps by his car.