It had been a dark and stormy night in the Forest...all was not well...the wind was howling through the trees like a customer trying to get a discount from Phil Ledgerwood.

I had taken Spike the Whippet for his night time walk before bed and even he ,a dog deaf in one eye,could sense I was unsettled.

He scuttled straight to his bed on our return and settled down on a bed of Plus6 leather offcuts.

I tried the bed time ritual of reading to the ferrets,Suck and Bang (I lost Blow in an unfortunate accident with a blender) they usually go off after a few pages of the MMC Yearly Financial Review but tonight was different...

Tomorrow was the big day..Citroen extraction day !!!

My mind was racing with all the preparations : trailer booked..check :use of fork lift arranged check:box of live rabbits for Royston :check

I needed to get some rest..I have a copy of accomplished Author DaveW on my bedside table and its so dull I'm usually gone by chapter 2 but tonight something was different.I was still reading at chapter 4..reading but not comprehending.(perhaps that is how all readers of Daves book feel)..

I picked up The Haynes Manual of Bell Ringing..a difficult book yet strangely compelling..but still no welcome rest.

As the fingers of Dawn caressed me (she really should go home soon) I finally lapsed into a deep slumber..I had begun to read a new acquisition "My Achievements In The World Of Chemistry " by Peter Jenks,a slim tome, but it did the trick..I was gone before the end of the introduction...

To be continued......

" I LOVE THE SOUND OF THROTTLE BODIES IN THE MORNING " (ROBERT DUVAL IN "APOCOLYPSE NOW " )