Skies

 No Aurora photos for me last night...there was a glow on the horizon, but the lights you can see... actually much brighter, especially the airport lights in the middle...are no help.

But this morning..

Was clear and cold...again a decent photo was hampered by "security" lights constantly on....and shining upwards... they've just been attached to house walls without regard to angles unfortunately.

Today is slowly tidy and clean, think if I've missed anything that should be packed....and if there is anything that can be left out! 

I'm looking forward to clothes shopping in Whanganui...I have clothes that I bought there twelve years ago that are beginning to look a little worse for wear...I'll be going back to my favourite shops for old and new things.

For some reason I find it easier to get things that fit and suit me there!!

It isn't often that I look forward to shopping!!

Colours and weather

 It is so hard to get the colours right...what we see is not always what the camera sees...like the delicate light blues at the horizon.

I tried tweaking another shot

But that didn't work, really. 

All that lasted only a few minutes before turning to grey clouds..

Quickly put the wheelie bins out, and the collections came earlier than usual...not surprised with the forthcoming Weather.

By the time I was on the bus heading for town a little before 10, the sky was really dark and the rain came down...and then the drops on the bus windscreen were more splatty than splashy...

Fortunately it was just a heavy shower and like yesterday I didn't get wet in town. 

Large cheque paid in, time to relax and celebrate with  long black and a brownie at my favourite spot in town

Waterstones bookshop café....and I may have bought a book on the way out..

Duolingo French may be a good start, but a pocket dictionary and basic Useful French is a good addition!!

I bought a bottle of Milton before heading for the bus...the only place I'd found it was boots the chemist...I'd asked in a pharmacy nearby and the assistant had no idea what it was! It is produced for sterilising babys' bottles..and does very well for bike bottles and smoothie bottles.

Back home for lunch , soup from the freezer...and take the vacuum cleaner for a "walk" around the house!!

By 3pm it was looking more like nearly 4pm...

Curtains shut, cuppa, mince pie...get the house warm in case we have a power cut....

Sky again

 Incentive to get up in the morning .

Sky and orchids

There have been two sunsets like this... dramatic!

The orchids are back in the "meadow"... Butterfly above and Pyramid below, with its spotty leaves

 I didn't plant these, they just appeared when we started treating this side of the front lawn as a meadow.  They aren't so good this year, possibly because we have had so much rain...and although spring may have been warmer overall, we are still having lower temperatures.

Evening and morning

 Last night's Sunset..I wonder if it was Sahara dust or just the angle of the setting sun that gave the colours?

A similar shot with colour..it was a bit more orangey pink than that.

It was a really cold night and a frosty windscreen morning, with bright sun.

I went to see the Sunday car boot at Ayr Racecourse.  Rather disappointing...but I did find these two....

They will be good to use.

I couldn't find a wheel or tyre and tube for my barrow...a certain DIY store had sold out...it probably isn't the right time of year to be looking for them!!

What a difference ...

 an hour makes

5pm, Northwest then southwest...

And an hour later..

Ticking along.

It is early days, and Pirate is finding it too easy just to do nothing...and our new mattress topper has made our bed FAR too comfortable!!

Today started wet and windy, but lifted nicely soon enough. I didn't trust enough to hang the washing on the line though!

I had a fleabay sale to pack...the first for nearly a month.  However you do it, at whatever level, selling is in the doldrums. Having the one sale has spurred me on to start listing more again...one on, and half a dozen lined up to be described and photographed.

The parts for the car didn't arrive until this afternoon, so no car until tomorrow. Which took the pressure off....dashing around can wait until tomorrow!  We walked down to the top shop in the village, where Pirate (reluctantly) went in to buy some biscuits while I went further downhill to pick up supplies from the pharmacy.  Lockdown strengthened his dislike of shops and shopping...and this had started easing ...but now he needs to learn to yes, be careful...but to do shopping again.

It was good to be walking outside...we are yearning for decent warmer weather and to be able to go for longer walks. 

Pirate's Macmillan nurse phoned to see how he was doing...and said that as soon as he is comfortable sitting on a saddle he can start back on the turbo trainer. Very gently.   He was glad to hear that!

We had a sort of Italian supper...blue cheese and oatcakes to start, risotto with veges and red beans...then vanilla ice cream with raspberries and pistachio nuts on top.    Making a meal interesting...when the "customer" is not too interested in the idea because he isn't doing enough yet to develop an appetite.

Every day up and down...but that is to be expected....everyone on the phone saying how well he sounds...but I get the down side...

It is normal, but hard work.

Clear morning

 

Look between the houses and in the distance you can see the Clyde. Then on the right in the distance you can see the steam from the paper factory near Irvine.

That photo was taken with my tablet..the other one I took with the phone..

Near enough, but interesting.

 

The phone is different as it has three different lenses I think it is, and of course a more up to date brain! I like looking at them on the larger tablet though, easier to spot details.

We went to Glasgow yesterday for Pirate's hour on the Velodrome and the roads and fields were snow free until we reached the point where we leave the A77 by Ayr. 

Then the footpath had snow and the roads clear until where the bus route leaves our road, 100 metres from our door. Dry powdery snow. No more fell overnight but it is cold.

Sky

 Look one way, then the other....

Over the sea

 Looking towards Arran and the Heads of Ayr from Prestwick promenade...Monday afternoon, time out for a gelato and a walk on the prom.

Showers

 All day...

Another day

 I just caught the last of the sunset last night..a real apricot and peach.

Dealing with Long Covid is no joke, whether it's yourself or a partner.

Changing to Gluten Free is helping..but it is early days.

Hope to get out for a wee ride later....

Mountains to Sea.

 An gentle ride yesterday afternoon...to the Sea end of the Mountains to Sea trail..then back into town up the trail, by the river. Across town along the bike route and back up to our coach's home again.

We stopped by the library in Castlecliff again...some bike trail themed gates...

And a beautiful sky

Any excuse to stop for an "ice block"!! (Ice lolly)

Then to find the trail...

The river is flowing to the right....and the waves were quite active outside the South Mole.

The trail actually ends on the North Mole, but they are working on that.

That is the North Mole on the right...and then looking back up the river by the Port...

You have to go on the road until after the Port, but the path then mostly follows the river and is 2m wide concrete, some of it up on a stop bank.

And  sitting on our car waiting for us .....

Not quite a dragon!...a praying mantis.

Another sky

 

I was lucky to go out of our front door as our friend arrived to stay over...

It was even more stunning, but no camera I have had picks up that very pale blue green...it still is a lovely memory.

After an early start today, HOT tomato chutney is on the hob....

The rest of the harvest can be used in day to day cooking.  The aim next year is more ripe tomatoes, instead of green ones!!

Partial solar eclipse

 

Before 

During...the clouds were not much help, but the light noticeably dimmed, even with only a 25% eclipse

After...it was brighter than the image appears .

Apparently the further north you were, the more obvious it was..the best place being mid North Atlantic!!

Keeping on...

 It has been just a tad wet and windy...ferries cancelled and bridges closed to high sided vehicles.

Meanwhile we carry on!

The workshop has the first guttering...and that gave half a wheelie bin of rainwater overnight!! Mostly we have been finding indoor jobs...trying to reduce clutter, sort papers and the like. Hopefully Pirate has sorted a few things to be sold on fleabay!!

There may be some more production in the larder....

But if there is rain...and a little sun....

Worth it!

Welcome home

 

Skies while travelling yesterday...

Again we split the journey, 220 miles the first day and 270 today....today was mostly motorway...and boring! But at least we have the knowledge that the journey was done as economically as possible. With stops, today was 6½ hours....and the garden gave us a welcome!

Tomorrow high winds and heavy rain are forecast between 8am and 2pm......

Welcome home!!