Never Ending Downpours.

That's what it felt like today. The winds blew from the west bringing the darkest of rain clouds. There was a hint of sun later in the afternoon but after sunset the rain returned.

As my spring cleaning is reaching an end I'm turning my attention to the utility room. Although the smallest room it is probably the messiest. Not only has it tended to be a general dumping ground but in past years my spring cleaning stopped before I reached the utility room. 

Today I cleaned the wall cabinet and had a successful sort out of the stored cleaning materials. That done I went through some of my files and cleared out a load more un-needed paperwork. 

My final job was to photograph Peter's parents' documents and some photos for Vytas who has expressed an interest in finding more about the family history.

I ended by starting knitting another pair of fingerless mittens using the blue mohair wool I bought on Friday. It's quite fiddly as I'm knitting in the round with double ended knitting needles. I do like challenging myself.

Ah Bless !

We had a pink dawn, quite appropriate for Valentine's Day. Peter gave me a lovely orchid having listened to my hints about over priced roses. Just a shame he missed the bit where I suggested fruit might be better for my diet. Instead he gave me fudge. I've had to put it in the freezer for a later date as I am completely unable to ration myself when it comes to fudge. The whole lot would be gone by the end of the weekend if I had even the smallest piece.

It was a beautifully sunny, if cold morning and since tomorrow's walk has been cancelled and Peter rejected my suggestion of a walk in the hills I decided to go for a walk on my own along the cliffs. 

By the time I left the sun had disappeared behind thin cloud but it was so good to be out in the fresh air.

I marched up to the War Memorial feeling pleased that I'd reached the top of the hill without having to stop for a breather only to find I'd not put the battery back in my camera. Fortunately I carry my phone with me when I walk alone. Not that I could really see the screen, no glasses either, but I took lots of photos and edited them at home.

The cliff path goes up and down the steepest of slopes but it was worth it for the views out to sea and back across the bog to the snowy mountains.

With all the recent wet weather sections of the path were very muddy and I took extra care especially on the slopes. Above is the longest flight of steps, 72 in all going up at 45 degrees. It was just as hard on the knees going back down on the return journey.

I walked for an hour which got me to my favourite stopping point where there is a dip in the top of the cliff. There I had a coffee and a couple of oat cake biscuits (love the black pepper ones) before heading back for home.

The very last uphill climb brings me to the War Memorial after which it's all downhill. I made my way up the path and saw a couple embracing by the memorial. As I got closer I could see and hear the girl sobbing and laughing at the same time and then saw her touch her left hand. Was this possibly a proposal? I skirted around them not wanting to intrude on whatever moment they were having. They came back down the path behind me and eventually, as I was about to cross the road to the garden gate they drew level. My curiosity got the better of me and pleading the immunity of old age asked if that had possibly been a proposal. And it had, ah bless. I congratulated them wishing them a long and happy life together. So sweet to propose on Valentine's Day.

Yikes!

I was lulled into thinking the weather was changing for the better when I saw much lighter grey skies this morning. However it was not the case as it carried on raining heavily for most of the day. Not only that but the milder south-westerly wind was gone and a north-easterly wind was bringing frigid air down from the arctic.

It was bitterly cold as I walked around town and then as I neared Borth on my journey home I came to the highest point which gives a wonderful view across to the mountains and saw snow. Snow in Snowdonia and snow on the Cambrians. 

Once again I had the lovely Tex for my lesson. There were only four of us in the group as the others had chosen to go out for a two and a half hour ride in the afternoon. That must have been a cold ride.

This week in the lesson we worked on improving the horses' flexibility. We began by asking for 'bend' as we rode round the school and in circles with the bend in the direction we were going. But then we asked our horses to bend to the outside while still working on a circle. (And you have to sit on the other diagonal which was new to me.) This is something chunky Tex has not had to do very often but lo and behold we got there and he began working more 'on the bit' too. I found it easier if I stayed in sitting trot as there were so many things to think about. Bend with the inside rein, half-halt with the outside rein, use one leg to create bend and the other to create impulsion. Don't ask me to go up and down as well. 

All that led up to some leg yielding both off the three-quarter line to the wall and from the wall inwards. I was very pleased with how Tex went today.

Then came the usual round of shopping. I popped into Charlie's as well making sure I had parked inside the white lines. Lurking about I saw the mean spirited parking guy who photographs any car with its wheels over the lines so that you get a hefty fine. Luckily our car is small and tucks in snugly.

In town I did some very successful shopping. Okay I hadn't planned for the balls of wool, one mohair and one multi-coloured chenille but at 50p each I couldn't leave them. At the same charity shop I got the leggings for just £3. They're every day ones not lycra, with glittery specks. I had been looking for a clock for the bedroom as most of the time I can't see the displays on the clock radios in daylight but this wall clock is the perfect colour for the kitchen and the wooden one in the kitchen can come in the bedroom. That was £3 as well. 

Finally I found Paddington's hat for £1 in the Climate shop. All I need to do is remove the band and stitch the front brim up.

That wasn't the end of my finds. I was keeping my eye open for red beach shorts for our carnival costumes when walking past one of the pound shops I spied a rail of reduced beachwear. And found red beach shorts in the right shade of red reduced to £1 each. I bought all six pairs. They're size XL but have a drawstring so will fit everyone. Unless somebody wants to don a red swimsuit.

Since I've got home all I've done is unpack the shopping, get the clothes washed and have a shower before relaxing with a mug of tea and a bowl of popcorn. I couldn't resist buying a popcorn maker in Lidl. It's about the size of an upright loaf of bread and makes the popcorn without any oil. Like a mini air fryer. So I can have a snack without piling on the calories.

No Surprise, It's Raining.

This morning was a lot greyer and wetter than yesterday. The afternoon is looking a bit brighter so hopefully I can walk to the hall for aerobics (Rachel has promised us a Valentine themed selection of songs) instead of driving.

Before our Welsh class I baked a Bara Brith for Pete. It's an easy cake to make and he enjoys it so much. 

The time seemed to fly by in class this week. We spent the first our in groups chatting about tv programmes, films and radio. Plenty to talk about there. As ever it's the prepositions that trip us up as they don't match how we use them in English. The best thing is to learn the preposition/verb pairs by rote. And of course some of the prepositions conjugate. So far we've only been using i ( can be to, is or simply goes with a verb) which can be iddo, iddi or iddyn depending on who is being referred to. We thought that was hard and then our tutor told us that it's the easy one. Some other prepositions have more complex conjugations. Oh my!

 

Since class I've gone through the drawers in my filing cabinet and loaded up the car with shopping bags, riding hat and more stuff for the charity shop. I'll donate at the Climate shop this week as it's next door to the fabric shop. The lady in the Aberdashers, (love the name) said they might have some muslin by the end of the week.

Grey.

It's been warmer but grey and pretty damp all day. It was only as dusk grew nigh (as they say) that there was a break in the clouds and a hint of sun in the sky. And now it's raining again.

 

Nothing for it but to continue with the spring cleaning. Today I focussed on the shelves next to my computer desk. Most of the stuff there is in white storage tubs of various sizes with a few baskets thrown in for good measure. Putting things in the tubs gives the illusion of orderliness but some of them had been used for dumping all kinds of things from stationary items to tiny boxes and random magnets.

It was very unsettling to see everything spread out on the floor while the washed tubs were drying. A big sigh of relief now it's all back on the shelves.

I'm finding it easier to let go of things at the moment and a lot went either in the bin or in the charity shop pile. All that's left to do in this room are the three drawers of my filing cabinet which again have been used to hide things away.

In the afternoon I needed to get some milk from the shop and had a short walk on the beach to stretch my legs. While not raining it was very misty and wet so I didn't take my camera. 

Although I'm feeling much better this evening (aching a bit after Pilates) I decided not to go to choir. I was still coughing and spluttering this morning with a headache and that means I'm still infectious. There are a few people around my age in choir and several who have recently had or are still having treatment for cancer so I'm staying away. 

Last night all the street lights along the High Street were out but luckily not the ones up on the cliff. Only the street lights, not the houses as far as I could see. I'm wondering if it had anything to do with the workmen resurfacing a lane that runs off the High Street by the shop.

Rain Again.

The day began with some blue patches appearing between the clouds so there was hope for a dry day. It stayed dry for the morning and was warm enough for me to do my weeding at the zoo with my coat on a bench rather than on me. But towards the end of my shift it felt as if it would rain at any moment and no sooner had I got home than the rain came down in earnest. 

By the time Peter had to go out to see a friend the rain had reached deluge proportions and he left clad in waterproof trousers as well as a raincoat. It seems to have eased off at the moment but I shan't be taking any chances and will be driving down to Pilates this evening.

 

At the zoo I planted some more stachys in the gravel garden before picking off all the small cones and removing a few weed seedlings. The gravel is surrounded by a concrete path on the other side of which is grass and a wooden fence. Since I didn't have much to do I used my secateurs to cut the grass between the fence and the path. It's only a narrow strip and doing it that way I was able to lift up and cut any grass that was forming flat mats so that it will be neater when they do get round to strimming. At the moment the ground is so wet that walking on it leaves deep marks.

Having turned their enclosure into a mud pit the pigs, who are now enormous, spend the day in a much larger enclosure which has been empty for a while. I checked and had the okay to empty my bucket of grass and cones in their enclosure which Otis and Truffle really appreciated. That also saved adding to the giant wheelbarrow which then has to be pushed up the road to the muck heap which is in a separate field.

Driving home I stopped to chat to someone from Pilates and it turns out that a lot of people are suffering from this cold that turns 'chesty' with a nasty cough. 

At home I relaxed for a while then cleaned the window sills of my study. A small job that needs doing fairly often to keep on top of the mildew. That might be because I have the radiator turned down to the lowest setting. It's very useful being able to adjust each radiator separately. I don't like it too warm while Peter prefers it warmer for his arthritis.

Just About Dry.

The only evidence of rain today was the brief appearance of dark spots on the terrace. There was sufficient breeze to get the sheet I put on the line dry enough to iron. The towels will need more time on the rack in the utility room but every bit helps. 

 

My main spring cleaning job was to go through the folders in my filing cabinet and winnow out any papers no longer needed. That yielded a satisfying pile of paper to go for recycling. 

Having been out in the back garden to hang up the washing I couldn't resist making a start on the next major garden job which is to re-lay a dozen paving slabs. Originally I had simply levelled the ground as best I could and put random slabs down to access the main path. Today I lifted the slabs and at some point will dig out any weeds, level everything and then add the left over builder's sand which is sitting in dumpy bags on the drive before re-laying the slabs. Quite a manual job which I shall do bit by bit.

Then back to my study where I cleaned and sorted all my knitting needles and crochet hooks. I ended up with crochet hooks in every size from the largest down to a couple so small I would need a magnifying glass to use them. A handful of spare hooks will go to the charity shop but the bent or odd knitting needles are staying as they might come in useful for things like plant supports.

On Saturday there was a demonstration in Aber where people made a human chain right around the hospital. On top of other cuts it has been proposed that the stroke unit will be closed. After initial treatment anybody suffering a stroke would then be transferred over 100 miles (across the mountains) to a different hospital. That's just ridiculous. Imagine suffering a stroke and not having anybody coming to visit. Not good for mental well being which is an important part of recovery. There's already been a petition to the Senedd with over 10,000 signatures and now more frequent demonstrations and publicity. Let's hope somebody sees sense.

There was a pretty sunset this evening which was much more vivid than the photo shows.