Well, yesterday it was deemed that the ornamental Japanese pool needed cleaning out. As it had not been touched for the last three years (apart from the odd leaf or hundred removed)there was a great build up of slime, sludge and rotted vegetation that needed removing.

This has got to be the stinkiest, filthiest job I've done in a long time (next to changing teething nappies). It took two hours to remove all the congealed stones (my fingers are still so sore), drain the water, and dredge out the sludge.

Once done, the fountain was taken down from its winter home on the garage shelf and reinserted into the pond. Electrics reconnected and pond filled time for the grand switch on. And it worked!! Fountain spraying upward, waterfall cascading downward. Sorted!

All that remains now is to clean the stones an put them back in - sounds easy but is backbreaking. A job for Wednesday methinks!