Xitang and Manning the Pump in Lincolnshire.

The rain has been falling heavily since about 11 am so the road under the old railway bridge 

has become a swimming pool (well, paddling pool) as the water drains off the fields 

and runs down to the river at Butterbump Splash.   

Of course, compared to those areas which have been so badly affected during recent weeks, 

we have absolutely nothing to grumble about!

Xitang water town, China.

Max is outside, manning the pump, a necessary action if we are to keep our water drainage and septic tank systems working properly.   The little submersible pump needs some extra help now and then - and today is definitely one of those times.   The joys of living in the country and on heavy clay soil.  

Yesterday I came across a big folder of the photographs which Miles and Poppy took when they visited the ancient water town of Xitang.

Somehow they seem appropriate.

It feels this wet here, today.

Xitang is lovely by day, but beautiful by night, even on a rainy night when all the umbrellas

get put to good use and the lanterns are lit.

The hustle and bustle would be a bit too much for me, but I can imagine that the atmosphere must be very lively with food vendors and cooking smells, tourists, and locals.

Back to Lincolnshire and the weather, of course.

Dobson hates getting his paws wet.   There he is, part Labrador, for goodness sake, and he either goes around puddles, or jumps across them.  

 He hates to go out when the rain is falling, despite the fact that I always give him a good rub down with his towel and make sure that he is dry 

before I dry myself.   

You can probably imagine how difficult it is to get him outside, in this kind of weather, to do the necessary.    However, sometimes a boy has to do what a boy has to do, even though he assures me that he really doesn't need to go.     I clip his lead on and make him come with me into the garden.   He tugs to go back inside, but I take him around the bushes and shrubs uttering encouraging phrases..."Pee-pee"  or take him to the corner of the polytunnel (always a tempting spot to have a widdle, providing Max doesn't see him)   "Come on Dobson, pee-pee-pee, wee-wee".   "Oh, for goodness sake, dog, pee-pee...".   It takes an age to get him started, then an age to finish.

He really needed that break.

The rain is still falling heavily, there are vast puddles forming in the Owl Wood and everywhere, including the gardens, is very squelchy, the ground saturated.   The ditches along the lane were brim full this morning, I can only imagine how they must be after all this rainfall.

Enough of the rain talk.   

I came across this photograph of the two of you - remember when it was taken?

xxx