Ah, woe is me, still looking like a lop sided hampster only now big bruise makes it look as though someone has beat me up!!! Old ladies throwing sideways looks at hubby as we trundle through the aisles in Tesco!!!

The grass in my garden is now a foot high and my lawn mower is still broken from last year. Am making grumbling noises about going to Band Q but hubby says it is hell on earth and to be avoided at all costs on bank holidays. He does not garden! I am going to tell him that I have hired someone to do it!

Last year I captured two Czech students from the town square and made them do the garden !!No, that sounds bad!
Well, there I was, standing in the town square in June with a giant, fluffy green aardvaark head ( no, not my head, a costume one) which I had stuck on a bollard next to an A board to advertise an Ats and Environment fair. The fair was in full swing up at the Railway Hotel car park but we wer'nt getting enough punters in. I took the head and fliers down into town to drum up some support.

Anyway, there I was, shouting out to the milling throng
'Come to the Arts Fair, Salsa band, barbecue, exhibitions of art and sculpture etc' When I noticed a young lad who had ensconced himself by the flower tubs in front of the cinema. He had a pile of backpacks and camping gear and was twirling his diablo and juggling his little balls to try and earn a bit of change.

I struck up a conversation with him, we could use this space to our mutual advantage I thought. I could draw him an audience by giving out balloons to the kids who would then stand and watch him juggle while I slipped a flier to the parents and tried to persuade them to come up to the Railway for a bit of culture.

Turned out he and his mate had been in England for about four days. They were from Czech Republic and had come over to holiday and find some work on farms to pay their way. As they had not organised work six months earlier as is the norm they were not having much luck. The local Chinese restaraunt owner had told them to turn up that night and he would give them some kitchen work (washing up) but they had nowhere to stay.

Well, anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for a sob story. I ended up taking them home with me and telling hubby I had agreed to let them camp in the garden for a few nights. A few nights!!!!!

Marik and Honza they were called. Both eighteen years old, only a year younger than my twins who still lived at home at the time. I already had a lodger, and throughout the hols my house is filled with sixteen to twenty four year olds anyway so two more were not a burdon.
On the first Sunday I cooked the lads a traditional sunday roast. Honza ate it with gusto but Marik only ate the meat and potatoes, politely explaining that he did not eat wegetables. They were, in fact, two of the most polite and charming young men I have had the pleasure to meet. Both from middle class families, they were in there final year of school Honza spoke the better english of the two and translated for Marik all the time. Honza was also the more relaxed, outward and friendly of the pair although Marik's laconic humour and puzzled expressions had us in fits of laughter.

They learned fast and one of there ambitions on coming to england was to go to a 'party in the woods' , one of those notorious raves, with dj's, trance music and chill out zones etc. My kids will laugh when they read this. I probably got all the terms wrong. They took the boys to a party and the czech's were an instant hit with all their friends.

They did not have much money so I let them camp in exchange for clearing my garden and doing jobs around the house. Marik left to go to Scotland in July but Honza was with us till he went home in September!

We now e-mail, Honza and I , he calls me his English mami and i call him my czech son! He is coming back this year, and as his coutnry will be in th EU he will legitimately be able to work here and has organised this already.

So, I have to get the garden spick and span before June as when he left it was with a warning to me to keep up the good work they started!