CRASH. My midnight slumber was rudely jolted by a loud bang. Followed mini seconds later by a very surprised yelp from Millie our Jack Russell.

Rushing downstairs, not quite au naturel, but very nearly, I found a bookshelf had fallen off the utility room wall, showering the floor with books, of course, but also a myriad other items too. The weight of which probably precipitated the event.

Millie, meanwhile, was cowering in her bed. Good job she had not been enjoying a midnight snack from her biscuit bowl, which is under the bookshelf.

So today before I make John's pack up for yet another day's shooting, it's that time of year, a big clear up, and most likely, clear out had better take place.

I am shamefaced at the number of cookbooks that are, or were, on the shelves.

That is because most of the recipes in them will never be made. I have bought them purely for the pleasure of reading recipes that I know I can never make because John will never eat the results.

I can, and the rest of the family will, but as most of my cooking these days is just for our lunch time meal, a roast, usually game, I just have to imagine the pleasure of consuming all the European, Asian, Indian and Far East delicacies that I love.

Tumbling to the floor, however, came the latest missive from Defra.

Most of the daily post tends to get shoved up onto these bookshelves on its way to the office. And it reminded me of the discussion that was held between a bunch of fairly baffled farmers in our kitchen just a few days ago.

It arose primarily because of the lack of information available to both us and the public about the latest health scare around the European avian flu and an outbreak on a farm in Lincolnshire where a large number of turkeys succumbed to the disease.

Apart from the news headlines on two occasions over the last month, we have heard nothing official on avian flu.

I see large numbers of domestic hens loose, pecking and scratting in hedgebacks or wandering around allotments that are bordering my nearest market town.

Many friends have commented that it does not apply to them as their hens could not get out of their gardens and they do not have the premises to keep their poultry inside anyway on a day-to-day basis.

Meanwhile, my usually free range hens are severely ticked off, I could say worse but shan't, and have completely stopped laying in protest at being kept inside.

But it is not only on bird flu we are being kept uninformed. "Have you done your course yet on calibrating the spinner for fizz (fertiliser)?" Cue lots of shaking heads and do we have to yet queries? "Have you done a course on applying slug pellets."

Again shaken heads all round and same questions. And what about purchasing rat poison too?

So many tasks, courses and certificates. Think I will need to send my rat final solution terrier operative on her own course. Millie....time to take that exam.