Mr Penry can occasionally be devious. Yesterday is a case in point. He told me he was off to get some wood for a project in the garden; he's always enjoyed woodwork and has his own little den out in the garage. (When I say 'little den' I use the term advisedly. We can't get the car in the garage any more....)

Anyway, I didn't think anything of it. He said he'd be gone for an hour or two, maybe a little longer and not to worry. So I didn't.

I was merrily playing the piano about two hours later when I spotted our car bearing what looked like a bloody great totem pole whizzing up the road. I couldn't quite believe my eyes.... what the hell whatever had he been up to?

Well, it turned out he had gone up to see a woodworker he knows in the Brecon Beacons, having spotted a great carved owl in his workshop the other day. When I say 'great' I'm not kidding - this thing has a six foot wingspan and is taller than I am! He'd tied it onto the roof rack with rope, having first made it comfy on a bed of moth-eaten blankets (not mine) and old cushions. Apparently a couple of Hell's Angels had given him a hand....

Of course, that left us with one small problem.... how to get it down again.
'Don't worry,' says my beloved, 'We can do it.'
We? We? I looked around, half expecting to see the bikers come roaring up our street.

But no. He meant himself and myself. Hmmmmm.....
Well, in fairness, himself did most of the lifting, and now it stands, wings outstretched, guarding the house.

For the moment we've nicknamed it 'Owlie'.

Apparently people were waving to Owlie all the way up our valley as Mr Penry was driving it home.....