It's the mirabelle season and Claude, who is into anything to earn a bit on the black, has been picking them. Perhaps picking isn't the right word, as, if I understand him correctly, you put a blanket under the tree and shake vigourously to make the fruit fall off.

I agreed to buy a 'case' (about 10kg) and he brought them round yesterday.

After making jam, a tart and two cakes  there were still masses left. So I looked up recipes on the internet and found a different way of making jam - you macerate the fruit in sugar for several hours before cooking - and also some interesting combinations like 'prawn and mirabelle curry', 'tagine of chicken with mirabelles.' and 'carres d'agneau aux mirabelles'.

So, another kilo went into a bowl to 'soak' for the jam, and as Bear demolished half a cake in one sitting I thought I'd use the rest to make more cakes tomorrow.

Then, the doorbell rang. It was Claude, drunk and overfriendly, bearing another case of mirabelles.

My protestations fell on deaf (sozzled) ears and I found it simpler to pay him 10 euros and accept them than argue.

It looks as though we may be trying prawn and mirabelle curry after all.

It wasn't raining this morning so CC and I decided to get on with some gardening. The only problem was that the frozen food delivery was due but I had no idea what time to expect it.

Even if I heard the bell from the garden it would take too long to get to the front door. The poor chap wouldn't stand there waiting, clutching a box of frozen goodies, for ever.

The answer seemed to be to ask Bear to take on door duty.

Small problem though: he was still in bed.

I took him some coffee and explained the situation.

"Can't Whale shout you if the bell rings?"

"He's in the loo" (and he stays there for at least 40 minutes) "and, anyway, I wouldn't get to the door in time, even if I did hear him call."

"Oh, all right then. What do you want me to do?"

"Just let him in and then call me. I'll have to put the stuff away."

CC and I waited another twenty minutes before he finally put in an appearance and then we went outside to tackle the weeds before it got too hot.

Jay got back from town and came out to take the rubbish down to the compost heap for us.

"By the way, I've paid Thiriet and put the stuff away in the freezer." he said.

When I went inside to have a shower, Bear was in the bedroom.

"Haven't heard the doorbell yet." he said.