Sometimes, even in a sleepy back-water like this, you have days that surprise you, and yesterday was one of them.

It started off as just a regular Tuesday, until  around 9am when I heard the unmistakable sound of a chain saw coming from the direction of the pub.

At last, just 9 weeks to the day since first contact, and 5 weeks over schedule, the pub hedge is being cut. It seem my musings of the other day are unfounded.

A small army of fit young men, armed with chain saws and hedge trimmers set about reducing it’s 20-25 feet height to about 7 feet and its vast depth, could have been 8 feet in places, to  more sensible dimensions.

They got rained off at lunch time, but resumed in the afternoon despite the weather and by teatime the job was almost done. They’re coming back today to finish off and clear up.

They have one of those machines that just eats chunks of wood and then spews it out as fine chippings. What a piece of kit that is. Even so there’s a lot of hard physical work goes in to a job like this, goodness knows what the bill will be. Glad it won’t be coming our way.

They appear to be doing a very good job, but having said all that, when they go there will be a lot of fall-out for me to clear up. But at the end of the day it is a huge improvement and not before time.

We are told the new landlady is very keen to have the hedge under control too. However we get the impression that she thinks the brewery will arrange, and pay for it every year. Although the hedge belongs to the pub and the pub belongs to the brewery, in previous years it has always been the responsibility of the tenant to maintain it. Watch this space.

Even more good news, I’ve got my lawn mower back, but haven’t had chance to try it out yet due to rain and hedge matters. Having had the shower mended last week I feel we’re on a roll!