in the right direction

 A rainy morning and a sunny afternoon...weather hurried along by the enthusiastic wind!! 

So morning was working around small household jobs. Tidying, ironing....the usual.

Then tidying the greenhouse a little and sorting plant pots. I've decided to stay with square ones as they are easier to set on a seed tray or mushroom crate.

As the clouds cleared  I could sort the plant pots that were outside. Three bakery trays full and some other bigger pots will all be going to my friends in the next village up.

They collected half of them at teatime and will be back for the others soon enough.

Another small step...I lined the new flue section and the following bend with ceramic fibre blanket. That can wait a day or two before getting the CF stabiliser . That is to make sure that after getting hot and fragile , that it doesn't release small fine fibres to the air. It will still have its insulating properties.

Then I had news of all my offspring.

The Oily One has next week off. So he should arrive here on Tuesday.  Daughter is feeling like Asterix and the Gauls, wondering if the sky will fall in.,.she is working from home and the builders are fitting dormer windows in their attic (and SiL is stressing!)

Middle son has the floorboards up for wiring work as his partner is on holiday!!

and youngest has borrowed a vehicle from the Oily One...

its all go!!  It is good to get news of my spread out family even in dribs and drabs.

The one sunflower that succeeded so far this year...it grew itself!!! and enthusiastic tatties hopefully there will be dome bottoms under those tops!! 

Tidy greenhouse..and rather small plants. Somehow I don't think I'll get tomatoes capsicums or squash this year..

but the garlic looks ok.

ten o'clock and all's well...

all I need now is the elusive good night's sleep.  

wet day at the gallery

 Wet...chilly...inside the gallery anyway (who would build a smiddy (forge/smithy) to be warm?!

A long day with not too many people in...and very few spending!

It was good to have company for a change as the painter who has her studio in a room off the gallery was there today too.

A damp 15 minute walk up to the bus stop

not the best of paths, but the rain hadn't got through the trees to soak it yet!

Now I'm home...the buses coordinated with a minute to spare...the rain is now steadily dripping and I'm considering putting the heating on!! Flamin' July ?!!!!

Breaking the circle?

 Things may be looking up...the car may get to the garage on Thursday...or next week.

The Oily One may be here next week.

The flue section and ceramic fibre to line it is now in the studio...

Tentatively....my back feels a lot better...

I managed to get an hour's walk on the loop that goes out past two mills from the village.

(one derelict, the other no more. as it was vandalised and the farmhouse burnt..but houses are being built on the site. Along time ago the intention had been to renovate the farmhouse to the mill and build houses on the yard) 

A dry walk...apart from the last 500m!!

I had an idea for printing while on my walk...we will see.....

Then tonight I saw all the flowers in the front garden....

Cric crac !!

 This was the moon rising late last night... Beautiful 

Physio done this morning. All sorted but one bit may need more work ( it caused problems many years ago) checked over and I have exercises to do!!

 Taken from the "new" bridge over the river Ayr. You can actually see Arran!!

The cormorant is in its usual place on what was at one time support for a railway bridge.

More fruit picked and the first tatties (a couple of haulms looked dubious so they came out) lifted. Grass edges strimmed and trimmed... Not too much work and it looks better!   We may get rain tonight. 

Aaargh!!

 I seem to have tweaked a muscle in my back...probably the combined effect of "crashing out" on the shorter sofa and also attacking the thug of a laurel tree....good thing I had already booked an appointment with my physio..I've been waiting for a month...good thing that this didn't turn up after tomorrow!! 

Today has been catching up on the adventures of Keith Brymer Jones and Marj Hogarth as they work on their chapel in Pwllheli. A building I remember from forty years ago when I lived in Gwynedd.

The good news...I found the last gean on the tree!!

an the wind dae blaw..

 It is nice to have it a little cooler....only (!) 20⁰...but, the wind is up....a 5⁰ windchill this morning! through the day the wind speed has been rising, now by 9.30pm it is seriously gusty...there wont be any midgies around!!

At lunchtime I was busy....

I wasn't going to leave these for the birds! They have been eating plenty anyway...and doing the Peck and Run...mainly the blackbirds...and I find strigs full of ripe berries untouched below the bushes. There is still plenty more left on the bushes.

A quick trip into Ayr to post a birthday card.

I'd left it too late to post locally, especially on a Saturday. The sorting office is one block from the bus station, so no bother. 

I'd hoped to go out to an art gallery, planning to go by bus...which is hourly from morning to evening...except the one that would be at 15.20?!!!! So no gallery..I didn't feel like walking a couple of miles....each way.

I checked all the central op shops for the books I'm looking for...no luck..the only reading material was a free national geographic magazine on New Zealand!!

Back home on the bus...all the nice cafés shut at 4, so no point hanging around!!

Sitting here I'd love to have a window open...but with it gusting strongly at over 30mph I'm not going to risk it.

So not an entirely positive day, although it could be called fruitfull!

pyrotechnical birthday

 Sheet lightning woke me before 3..and carried on for over an hour. No sound..it was over the hills and from comments from friends it was over Straiton and and Dalmellington and across the hills to Cumnock and around to Prestwick.

Before six the rain gently started and with the occasional flash and bumble carried on until after 10. I took advantage of the breeze and aired the house before shutting up and deciding to have a fay out for my birthday!!

When I was 6 to 7 years old dad was working for the Hants and Dorset bus company in Winchester as a bus conductor.

Going with him with my own shoulder bag and snap tin was a grand day out!!

One regular on one route was the Bishop of Winchester..they stopped the bus at a pub for him to go for a pee! I do remember him having intelligent conversations with me..as you should when someone is six years old,!

The first bus arrived at the stop as I did..I didn't know which direction I'd go in..but as it was nearly midday it couldn't be too far..

In Ayr the bus drew in next to the bus to Largs...decision made!! The next 35 miles took 1¾ hours!! and the last five miles were in heavy rain....and the arrival coincided with a cloudburst. thunder and lightning!!

It was tempting just to stay on the bus...but I was hungry!! A quick dash to a café that every previous time had been full....and they had a table for one. 

Good coffee , and an enjoyable lunch rounded off with warm chocolate fudge cake AND ice cream!! 

Then out into bright sunshine and I did the round of all the op shops..I'm looking for two specific books..no luck, but I did find a long spotty dress..hides the belly..but does rather show the cleavage!!

Back on the bus and again a connection within two minutes. After a very early morning I was having trouble staying awake!!

Home to many happy birthdays on fb , texting with one cousin and a phone call with another.

A very good day.

the ferry to Cumbrae..next time

and a museum new to me...again, next time...

9.15pm. more rain?