Storm Ellen

 It is blowing a hoolie outside as it has been since yesterday evening. Thankfully the rain has stopped for a while.

Yesterday late afternoon we took a gentle ride on both the new steeds. Pirate's Alan now has fewer teething problems...literally..one less link in the chain means that it is moving from cog to cog ok. Mine needs a lower gear, but apart from that rides well. How did I manage to ride clubruns in the New Forest on that size gear 50 years ago?!

It is at present having the chainring changed for one two teeth smaller!

We are sticking indoors so far. Most things have been successfully covered/stored/tied down... hopefully!!

Ebaying bike bits carries on steadily, despite the time it takes to get just right.

Just for a change I sorted and packed some Aquilegia seeds. We will see next year if they are viable.

Day out

 It started nice and sunny, the dandelions shining brightly on the lawn...

We headed out on different roads for a change, made even more different by roadworks diversions! 

Over one of the Forth Bridges, then we found a high point to photograph the various bridges..but there is more than just those...and the clouds and haze reduced visibility somewhat. ( On returning home we found that the Red Arrows flying team should have done a flypast in Edinburgh, but didn't due to the weather conditions.)

Tea and chat with a friend..then home via shopping...and the timing was good again to catch plenty of reduced items! We didn't get to ride our bikes together with him as intended, but the bikes got a ride in the car instead!!

School clock

 Yesterday we collected my clock, the one that dad saved from the rubbish skip when he was working at a junior school on the edge of Bristol. The headmaster wanted a Nice New Electric clock....

The clock had never been overhauled...ever..and it is pre-1905.  The cost was £175, but money well spent.

Last time it ran was 15 years ago, and it stopped on 19 July 2005. The same day that dad died.

I was so glad that he had given it to me a couple of years previous to then.

Today it ticks again, the heartbeat of the house.  Dad would have been 90 today.

Pirate got a short ride in on his way home.

And we arrived to find no internet..and apparently whatever it was had also knocked out most of the UK banking systems...so despite not having hand storms, we were affected. So no engaging until this afternoon!

And so to another colourful sunset..still a bit pinker than I can show it, but I am getting closer.

It rained...

 We couldn't work I the garden and it was miserable indoors...so we had a trip to Castle Douglas to deliver an old clock to be mended then on to see friends for a cuppa. By then the torrential rain had lifted. That called for a detour to Loch Doon and a short walk

 Before the weather came in again!
Supper was reduced! With garden additions

Summer?

Wet

All day, just about, after a night of wind and rain.
Pirate rode the turbotrainer and has been starting to build up his new bike..so a bike day for him!
I have had a bit of this and that day, the only time I ventured out was to put some paper in the recycling box, in a brief respite from the sideways rain. The idea of sitting in the polytunnel dealing with some cuttings sounded a good idea, until I realised that getting there would mean getting drenched!!
So a bit of sorting, a bit of cooking, and a bit of photography.
These will be going on Etsy hopefully tomorrow.

A sale!

Just a small one, but it is encouraging..and a good excuse to combine exercise, shopping and posting!
It is a little hilly between here and our favourite post office, but beautiful views . A fifteen mile round trip was enough for today and it was lovely weather, sunny and warm with plenty of bird and insect life to see.

Tonight's side salad from the garden, with a small onion added.
Not much else has been done today apart from photographing more bike bits to sell. The machine behaved and did two washes and everything dried on the line!

Also the good news that a parcel of pots arrived in Minneapolis. A relief as the post office there went up in smoke! Now to wait to hear of two more deliveries, with goods taking up to two months.
Then the bad but understandable news...Royal Mail is adding a new rate, World Wide 3... initially just the USA...I think the parcel rate might be doubling as UPS (?) Who do the last part of delivering have doubled their rates. On top of that air traffic is costing more..

Stormy

Oops!

Despite suncream.... different pattern Jandals to the sandals I was wearing only two months ago...
Thanks  be for aloe vera gel!!

Quiet progress

Another day with hot sun and chilly breeze, but nicer than yesterday.
We have worked more steadily today and feel quietly satisfied.
We rescued some roof edging from being sent to landfill and have started adding it to my workshop. Hopefully we will have enough for the pot store shed as well.
The polytunnel contents are coming along , more beans germinating
..and puy lentils too after only two days!
Soup was made for lunch..and four double helpings for the freezer!

Yet another spectacular sunset tonight..it was much more pink than the pictures..but you get the idea!

I join in with a Facebook group, The daily sketch challenge...The idea is to do it every day...but the founder posts a couple of photos every Wednesday for those devoid of inspiration!

Inverness

 Our hotel room view

 The town house on high street

 Room view at nightfall

We had a good clear drive up here, just over 200 miles, five hours including a good lunch stop and slow driving through roadworks.
At the highest there was snow from the verges up to the mountain tops, but no snow falling, just a little rain and hail at one point.
Who knows what it will bring overnight! We are on the edge of the yellow warning area for storm Jorge, so hopefully the bike ride will go ahead in the morning.
We are doing the shorter 26 mile ride, not the 44 mile hilly ride.
These are organised in memory of our great friend Ivor Reid...and raise money to help young riders.

Seasons

Aimz asked if we could swap seasons...we have the wettest winter so far for 89 years.....
Northland Aotearoa has drought....

I don't think either are ideal....

Dry

Omaka airfield.
Looks very desert like to me.
33 degrees and hot wind.

Heading South

We hit the road again! Stopped to buy coffee in Bulls...

Where we could have bought a house!
Then on to Foxton, by which time the coffee was drinkable!!

Thinking we must look here next visit.....

Waiting for the Bluebridge ferry we were lucky to get a queueing slot with a breeze.
It was a good crossing, but when we arrived in Picton it was a good deal hotter!!
A short half hour drive to Blenheim where we found that the friends we are staying with had got married in their garden four hours earlier. We knew they had been planning a quiet no fuss wedding...and far less cost here than in the UK.
It is fortunate that we travelled yesterday, as there was a massive gas leak in Picton today and ferries had to turn back.

Summer is here with a vengeance and total fire bans...so it was a relief to have a misty morning for our group ride today...and after riding around Whanganui, the roads here were easy!!
As the afternoon turned hot, pirate did some bike cleaning and maintenance, and I got on with designing the next table mat.
This one just needs the black border.

The rest will be inspired by the pavements of Whanganui...