My back-door neighbour is having work done on the huge silver maples that grow on my side of the fence and overhang his roof on the other side of the fence. This project means falling branches and roaring machinery, to wit: chainsaws and a wood chipper. Next week, he’s having his roof done very thoroughly, replacing not only the shingles but also the underlying plywood. So things will be noisy.

On my side of the fence, important progress has been made toward getting the house ready for sale. Marco the painter came yesterday to do the upstairs hall and touch-ups in the bedrooms and study. Tony the carpenter promised to come tomorrow with drywall, flashing and caulk, and the mason who built the patio will coordinate with him about moving the back steps (great hunks of manufactured stone) to give him access. Then Marco will return to paint the basement, which looked like the wrath of God even before the leak.

And I had the tankless water heater flushed and descaled this morning. I’ll be glad to leave Stratford’s liquid limestone water behind when I leave.

And I already have a date with the ophthalmologist — 28 April.