Dumfries

 I decided to go early to Dumfries...there are a couple of places on the A76 where we have seen flooding when there has been heavy rain...and there were quite a few places with water over half the carriageway.

This meant that I had time to visit the galleries at Gracefields arts centre...and one of the exhibitions was a travelling exhibition from tbe Hayward on London's South Bank.

Plus upstairs from this was an exhibition of some of their permanent collection.

Then a fibre art exhibition in the newer building plus a local art group's paintings in the café. 

Lunch with friends was good, homemade soup with bread salad and cheese....and cake...and good strong coffee!

Two hours of interesting chatting...and a gift to me of the OU French course material and books in French to read.

I'm now ensconced in the travel hotel at Gretna Services...part one done...

First stop tomorrow, Potfest in the Pens at the mart outside Penrith to pick up some supplies...and maybe see some friends...then on to Oxfordshire.

Getting ready

 I did remember to do my halfhour on the trainer...just!!

Watching the rainshower come across from the hilltop, and past Rankinston like a curtain...

Ready for the next shower....

The sunlight was shining through the Borage in the garden

Now I'm sitting here with clean wet hair wrapped in a towel, making the list of things to pack for tomorrow morning.

A nice start

 But it soon went "downhill" to steady rain...

So needlework prep was done...deciding on cutting placement for efficient cloth use.

this is one of the four squares that will be made into a cushion cover.

Later in the afternoon I had tbe luxury of a reflexology session, rounded off with some reiki healing.

I'm feeling far less creaky and more relaxed after that.

Then I "fed" the car ready for Friday. If I need to go anywhere tomorrow it will be on the bus!!

definitely wet!!

 But not as wet as Corsica...floods after 500mm of rain.....

So an indoors day....Duolingo...now on tbe free version with ads.....I need to look for an alternative practice method...

Ironing, mending...starting to think what clothes are coming on the trip...so don't wear them now!!

Bubble wrap installed...

and mathematics , calculating cutting for finishing a cushion cover....

The rain started again as I drove north  to the artists' group AGM..

Which started with "Nosecco"...non alcohol fizz!! an alcohol free apèro, with cheeses and crackers and oatcakes, figs, olives, tomatoes, wee stuffed peppers, grapes...and assorted meats for those who did...

finished off with a cheesecake using white chocolate to set it instead of gelatine and pomegranate "jewels" on top!!

A pleasant evening and job done!! A few things to change and hopefully two more 3D members if we can find ones that will fit into the team.

Then a wet and windy drive home.

I haven't driven in the dark for a long time!!

Expanding

 Today's foray to Ayr and Prestwick's op shops yielded two pairs of jeans, one pair of trousers and two long sleeved tops. I collected my order of 4 bras(the expense!!!) from M&S...most odd, you type in a number on a touch screen and a person scurries out through a door next to it clutching your items in a sealed bag....

All of said clothing is, of necessity, yet another size bigger....

Discussion has been had with daughter...

I am eating sensibly....but look at calories just in case...

Blood tests have been done..all ok and nothing even marginal.

Get back on the turbo for half an hour a day....meh!!...so I did it....as she said, if she can do it with chronic pain.....

Now to do it every day....

A convenient occurrence...the potters supplies people will be at Potfest in the Pens in Skirsgill Auction Mart in Penrith, 23-5 October...and I'll be passing by on the 24th...so that will be my first stop on Saturday!! I'll be able to collect my missing glaze ingredient...and maybe others...then!!

I'm looking at my squashes....and wishing them to hurry up and ripen!!

Daughter suggests some bubble wrap....not close around them, but enough to protect against a frost. That sounds like a good idea.

Sunday sales

 No photos again today..

what was the one thing that I forgot?...My phone!!

I woke early...before tbe alarm, thankfully, and decided to get on with it!

Once out, first job was to defrost the windscreen...and of course the internal fan decided to sulk. I had to drive the first ten miles with the screen wipers on and the windows open!

However a start at that time of day in order to be at the velodrome by 8am, meant that I saw an absolutely awesome sky...totally clear and colours from red on the horizon through to a clear blue above.

Set up and selling by 9, nothing big, nothing over £20...and after paying for the tables, about £200 in the bag after 4 hours.

A reassuring amount of sales, and as far as I could see more vendors but no dealers.

Packing up was well organised as I'd kept most things in the mushroom trays...brakes in one, stems in another etc..

As we were all leaving coaches were turning into the overflow velodrome car park and a wave of people were walking from the station...traffic was almost at a standstill coming towards Celtic Park, over the road from the velodrome. 

Fitba'.....Celtic playing a home game,!!

I unpacked as soon as I arrived home..and I arrived to the front "meadow" cut short as my neighbour had given it its autumn trim at the same time as doing his own.

The stock is far more organised now and doesn't appear to dominate the room upstairs. I could even get back to selling on fleabay!!

slow saturday

 For some reason  I woke far too early...before 5...but at least the radio programmes were interesting. Walking and farming on Radio 4 then from 6.30 an hour and a half of "Out of Doors" on Radio Scotland.

I did hear most of it...honest!! but it is easy to drift....

I packed the car ready for tomorrow's Velojumble...doors for stallholders opens at 8,  so I need to be on the road before 7.

I checked the ingredients that are needed for the clear glaze...one short...only needed for 4%of the ingredients...but I was certain that I had some. I checked the price of a kilo...and the price of carriage...

I'll be going near one supplier a week today..if they open Saturdays I'll be able to collect it and save an average of £6....

I need to relabel many of the tubs of glazes and ingredients are fading.

It gets chilly in tbe studio now, especially as next door's laurel shades most of the back garden by 3 as the winter sun is lower.

Change jobs...sorting books to pass onto new homes on my travels!