I've just taken a good look at our apple tree and the crop is looking rather thin this year. Last year we had a bumper crop of apples; this year we'll be lucky to harvest a dozen. Blame it on the bizarre weather we've been having. The few summer days we've had have been hot enough to melt the trees. Otherwise, it's been non-stop monsoon-like rain. There have been a lot of floods reported across Britain. Have you ever been in a home damaged by flood water? I have, and it is not a pleasant experience. Look around your room now, as you're reading this, and see just how much is under knee-height. Carpets or other flooring, chairs and soft furnishings, electrical goods and electrical wall sockets, food, kitchen equipment, gas heaters, wallpaper, the plaster on walls, etc. All this has to be cleared away, ruined. And pets can easily die in floods, too. Add to this backed-up sewers, and remember that while you're trying to clean up the mess you're