Sunny.

After a very wet night we were due for a day of heavy showers, even thunderstorms but as can be seen from today's photos it's been blue skies all the way. I only wish I'd got some washing out on the line.

Instead I had a day of mainly indoor jobs. First was to make some packaging to protect the two spare blue patterened floor tiles. I know that as floor tiles they are strong but I've been concerned that while they are loose a knock could cause a chip or break. It was time to actually use the cardboard box I'd kept back from the recycling for the last two weeks. Aided by some Gaffer tape the tiles are now secure in their cardboard packaging ready to be put in the garage when storage shelves have been made.

Then my attentions turned to curtains again. Once the curtains made with the new fabric were up in my study the old curtians looked extreemly faded. Not surprising as they'd been up for over twenty years and put in the washing machine at least once a year. (I worked with a lady who washed all her curtains on a weekly basis, a bit too often in my view.) I still had enough of the new fabric to make a pair of single width curtains which is just about enough for the smaller window. Especially as I used a pair of the lined faded curtains as lining. So far I've cut the fabric for both curtains, machine stitched it onto the old curtains, measured the hems, pinned, ironed and hand sewed the hem and one side of one curtain while sitting outside. I've also discovered yet another use for plasters on my fingers ...... to stop the blood drips from when I catch my fingers on the pins.

Peter came and joined me as I sat outside sewing where we were serenaded by 'our' blackbird perched on top of our neighbours old tv ariel. (I didn't notice the starling until after I looked at the photo.) The blackbirds here have amazing repertoires. I do whistle a little to it though I'm sure it's only interested in the two other blackbirds I can just hear in neighbouring gardens. The funny thing was that I noticed an older lady standing on the pavement also whistling to it too. That reminds me of this story about two men who thought they were hooting to an owl. As well as the evening concert the blackbird is the first in the dawn chorus currently at 4.30 in the morning before the sun has appeared. We had at least one power cut yesterday which seems to have messed up the timer on the street light outside our bedroom because instead of switching off at 1.00 it stayed on all night so I wonder if that affected the blackbird's early rising?