A thorny issue

Just a short note as I am absolutely exhausted, having spent the past 2 days cutting back the Paul's Himalayan Musk rambler rose which covers most of one end of the garden.  As it had gotten to the stage of starting to merge with the Kiftsgate coming the other way, and had 12 foot sprays of Brambles through it (AND some runners of Honeysuckle), action was needed.  The rose arbour needs some woodwork replaced too and we couldn't get to that without the pruning.  Anyway, below is "after" which also included cutting back half the Corkscrew Hazel tree - some was dead and one branch (to escape the rose smothering it) had grown forward 8 feet or so and needed cutting back too.  Now I shall have to replant beneath it, and put down some mulch.

A rather blurry photo of the lovely Torquay vase I found at the Boot Sale this morning, which is staying in my collection.

Finally, essential reading which I found in Booth's book shop in Hay-on-Wye when we were there on Friday.  We had taken some furniture to the auction at Brecon - only to find it was their busiest day of the month with a sheep auction and they couldn't take it.  We phoned the day before to check, but they never mentioned not to come on Friday!