I know that you are all waiting for the latest news report on the strange vine-like growths that have appeared on my basil outside on the porch. They are still growing and now hanging down. They seem to be searching for something, but we are not quite sure what. At the moment we are refraining from adding basil leaves to the tomato salad, at least not from this particular stalk. The question now is what will happen when the basil eventually dies due to the colder weather. Will this invader continue on its journey on our porch, will it engulf our newly painted surfaces on our appatment, or will it dwindle, disappearing to an unlnown place, only to return again next year in full force. I notice our cat Tabby makes a large detour around this plant when outside and hisses.

On a lighter note, our sedum in the garden is flowering and the colours are becoming quite intensive: not a bad colour for a normal cheaper iPhone 6 camera, however yesterday we got an update. Yes, we now all have the newest IOS 11 which is apparently necessary because of the new expensive, record breaking iPhone 8+++++ with all its benefits and Zeros after the price.  I am still thinking about how nice it would  be, but it will probably remain as a thought

However, I uploaded this new update to two iPads and my iPhone, to make sure I was missing nothing. On the way it asked me if I wanted to replace my entry code with a fingerprint. My answer was not. There are fingerprints all over my iPhone from constant swiping and it might get confused. I was also asked if I would make all the information on my iPhone available to the prying bytes of Apple, which I also answered in the negative. The whole process took about 40 minutes on two iPads and an iPhone and eventually I was finished. However, after a while I again got a suspicious “1” on my settings button on my iPhone/iPads in red. It reminded me again to confirm what I had installed, as if it could not believe that I was rejecting all its suggestions, and it was confirmed. Now I have peace and quiet. The photo programme has apparently been improved, although it is the same as before, just is a different way.

Today our government is voting for a new minister and I am getting regular reports on my “i” news stuff with the latest developments. We have 7 ministers and one is leaving, and so we must have a replacement. It is not so easy in a country speaking 3 main languages and an extra on on top and they like to keep a language balance. It has been some time since we had an Italian speaking minister, although the french speaking do not like to be ignored. I have not been following this thing intensely. I think there are three candidates. In any case there is an italian speaking one, so my bet would go on him. The politics have to be right, but so does the language it seems.

No 1 son has taken the day off as he will be going to the Rolling Stones concert in Zürich. He got his ticket some time ago. It is well organised as there is a coach company in town that takes the fans to the concert and brings them home afterwards. No. 1 son always visits the Stones concerts when in Switzerland.

Today I will again be staying at home, listening to the painters applying their brushes to our outside walls and in between watching the paint dry. Compared to the builders they are a ghostly appearance, as they are very quiet and dressed completely in white, except for a few paint stains.

I am now off to deal with other important work, we cannot sit on the computer all day, there are places to go and things to be seen, like the supermarket and its offer of food. Be kind to your computers and enjoy the day.

This is the current state of our hedge, if you can call it a hedge. Since at least 4-5 months it has been left to do what it wants to and so we called the gardner last week as Mr. and Mrs. Angloswiss are not longer as fit as they were and cutting hedges is no longer possible.

Today the gardner arrived and they are busy with their hedge cutters in the back and front garden. We live in Switzerland and it is an unwritten law that hedges must be hedges otherwise the neighbours will begin to talk. Our garden is also looking a little neglected, but with builders trampling everywhere it is difficult to make a prognosis. The lawn is not what it used to be, but there is no point doing thing in Autumn. We will have to wait for the Spring.

There is a gardner involved in the renovation work and it is decreed that he will bring everything back to its original state before the builders arrived with their destruction programme, although I very much doubt it. He cut down a privet bush because it was obstructing the builders path, he completely destroyed one of my flower beds and removed a hosta bed. Miracles no longer happen in my part of the world so I have no great expectations. At least my own gardener knows what to do.

I showed a photo of the strange growth on my basil plant yesterday. I have now taken some more photos and naturally asked the gardner what he thought. He confirmed he has never seen anything like it and it has nothing to do with the basil plant, but probably grew out of the earth. He says it must be some sort of creeping plant. It is all very mysterious. I looked to the sky buy found no strange lights or comets, perhaps it is all in the imagination.

Yesterday we went on our normal shopping trip and I noticed some strange cloud formations. There are signs – strange growths on a basil and clouds that are forming strange shapes.

And now I must move on. There is a guy standing outside in a cloak with a hood hiding his face,  with a scythe in his hand and I do not think he belongs to the gardening team.

Enjoy the day, I will not – I should clean the bathroom which is not my favourite housework.

See you around.