Cooler.

It's been an overcast day and noticeably cooler. It didn't warm up until the early evening just in time for my Pilates class. After a break last week for half-term and the two weeks before with a gentler teacher tonight's class was a real wake up. I struggled with some exercises because of my back and others due to a lack of muscle. I do like the challenge and feeling good after an hour's work-out.

I had a very relaxed day with only baking biscuits and tidying up on the agenda. I put a load of plant pots away in the garage and while the dining table is not quite clear it isn't quite such a dumping ground. Yesterday I bought a couple of new light shades for the hall, still paper spheres, a bit smaller than the ones that were up but bright white to match the walls. On the same wild shopping spree I bought a new bracket for the hanging basket by the front door. Not only was the old one completely rusty but it was too high for easy dead heading and the basket was in the way of the lid of the bin store. I unscrewed the old bracket and Peter helped me to put up the new bracket. Now I can enjoy the full glory all the lovely flowers.

Underneath the hanging basket the mystery plants are definitely lilies and next to them the tomatoes are doing well. I'm already having to take out the side shoots as they appear which leaves my hands smelling of tomatoes. That takes me back to the days when as a youngster I earned some pocket money working in a tomato greenhouse. At the end of the day the lather from the hand soap would turn lime green from the residue on our hands.

Right now there is the smell of wood smoke from whichever of my neighbours is using their woodburner, wafting in through the open window of my study.