Hazy.

Despite dire warnings of change the day began hot and sunny with a warm wind. Naturally that meant getting some washing out on the line. The haze began creeping in by the afternoon  and now it does look as if we might have rain tomorrow. 

Our rickety knees stood up quite well to several hours walking on rocky paths but it has been sensible to have a recovery day today. I combined sitting outside and reading with some natural hair lightning with lemon juice and hopefully caught enough sun to have some effect. In the afternoon I did some cutting back of the hydrangeas and buddeliea in the front garden. It'll be a few weeks, hopefully not too many, before we leave and it wouldn't be nice to let the garden run wild. Also with the small amount of rubbish we produce I don't think it hurts to chuck a bucket of hydrangea flowers into the wheelie bin.

Now for more photos from yesterday........

When we first got there I was thrilled to see a closer than usual view of Lundy, this time from the south. !5 miles compared to 20 miles from Woolacombe. We didn't have binoculars with us but I could make out the church tower and the central lighthouse that I climbed up every morning of our last two stays there. 

Before setting off home we walked down to the Hartland Quay Hotel. Apart from the tables outside the hotel people were not good at social distancing. While I walked down the slipway for my paddle Peter had to ask a group of people who came and stood right next to him to move along. It's not easy when originally and still in the shops we're asked to keep 6ft apart but now in other places it's only 1m apart. At BJ's the staff wear t-shirts that say Better 6ft apart than 6ft under.

Last night there was a vertical cloud iridescence or irisation in the evening sky. It was clearer in reality and lasted for at least 15 mins. I love watching clouds and something like this is a bonus.

The last thing today I've done is to gaffer tape some lino pieces onto the ends of the metal (hollow) bars that stick out from the bottom of my computer desk. The plastic covers that it originally had are missing from two of the bars and once again I've skinned the top of my toe. I should have done something about this the first time I caught my toe especially as with increasing age it takes so much longer for such minor injuries to heal.

Sunny.

A blazing hot day today. Word is that the roads down to the beaches were completely full, not surprisingly.

Today I finally persauded Peter to go for a walk from Hartland Quay. Although we can see Hartland from our upstairs windows it's a good hour's drive around the other side of the estuary. We took along a flask of coffee, some cookies and bread rolls with egg mayo for our lunch. We don't usually eat lunch but it's nice to have a little picnic by the sea.

When we got there it was perfect walking weather, sunny with a cooling breeze. 

We followed the coast path southwards. It was fairly busy but everyone was careful to keep well apart when passing. There was a lot of rough up and down on the route so waiting for people to pass gave a bit of sneaky rest time. 

The tilted slabs of rock run out into the sea and many ships have been wrecked off this part of the coast. 

 Our goal was to reach the Spekes Mill waterfall which we did without too much puffing and panting. Actually it's our knees we have to be careful of. I keep finding myself stepping up with my right leg which is my weaker knee and I have to remind myself to lead with my left knee. 

The 50 ft. waterfall was impressive though the recent dry weather has reduced it to a single waterfall rather than the double that is often there. 

We found ourselves a bench to sit on to eat our lunch and enjoy the view. It would have been nice to take the steep path down to the beach but that would have been a step too far (haha) for Peter and possibly for me too. 

Quite a lot of the way ran through meadows filled with tiny flowers. There were black sheep in one of the fields and I was able to collect a handful of wool for my felting projects. You only need a little black to make eyes. When we got back to the car park I changed out of my walking boots which we left with the backpack  in the car before walking down to Hartland Quay itself. (Photos tomorrow.) There were a lot of people there plenty of whom were swimming in the small bay. Naturally I had to take off my flip-flops and make my way down the concrete slipway for a sedate paddle. Oh the cold sea felt so good.

Once we got home all I did was wash out the recycling bins before retreating to the cool of the house.

We heard from the windows company this morning. Things have got behind due to them being two men short plus a family member being ill. If our builder can do the installation the rest of the windows can be done in three weeks but if not it'll be at least six weeks. Groan.

Warm.

The day has been warm and windy, nice enough to spend the later part of the afternoon sitting out in the garden.

This morning we had a phone call booking another viewing for the afternoon. This was a chap who had been twice before the lockdown and had now put his house on the market. After the usual tidy up I went out to do the shopping but by the time I got home things had changed. The family that came last week had upped their offer for the second time and finally reached the price that Peter and I had decided would be suitable. They're cash buyers and are in rented accomodation so would like to move asap. So we've accepted their offer and are hoping that it all goes smoothly. The afternoon's viewing was cancelled as we don't believe in gazumping (looking for a higher price from a new buyer.) Surprisingly I'm not jumping up and down with excitement. Maybe because things could go awry at any point in the legal process. Also I think because over the last weeks and months I've gone into a distanced mode to cope with the uncertainty and waiting. Better just to let things happen.

While I was out shopping I found myself a few treats. My first stop was BJ's and I couldn't resist buying this agapanthus. It has been in my plans for the back garden and although expensive this looked like a decent specimen. (Photo below is from the web.) Agapanthus are on my list of salt tolerant plants.

The other plant I bought was this aeonium which is also salt tolerant. I saw many enormous specimens growing in gardens on the Isles of Scilly and also on St Michael's Mount.

That wasn't the end of my extravagance. Last time I was in Tesco's I'd been drawn to a fluffy, dusky pink longer dressing gown with a hood. Everything I like in a dressing gown but I hadn't bought it as I already have a selection of dressing gowns. However I began to justify buying a new dressing gown with the fact that my everyday dressing gowns were bought at least 10 years ago. Regular washing and brushing have kept them in reasonable condition but they're not as fluffy as they once were. Also, so my mind went, you don't find the right dressing gown that often. With all that in my thoughts I wandered over to the clothing section. There were the dressing gowns and in the right size. So I caved in and bought myself one. With the new rule in place everybody out shopping wore a mask. At last I didn't feel that I was making a personal statement by wearing my mask which I've done since the beginning of the lockdown.

As mentioned earlier it was warm enough to get the sunloungers out for a relaxing break in the sun. While we were out there we were visited by a dunnock bravely hopping around in the rose bush collecting insects to take back to its nest. We also got a surprise when a large golden-ringed dragonfly swooped around the garden. I wonder if somebody nearby has a pond in their garden?

Sunny.

Blue skies, fluffy clouds and a strong north-westerly wind today. Great drying weather so I got one load washed, ironed and put away by the end of the afternoon.

No phone calls today which made for a peaceful day. Once the sun comes out everything seems so much nicer. This morning I stood in the kitchen bathed in the warm sun coming through the windows listening to the cooing of a wood pigeon and watching a butterfly fluttering around. Okay it was a large white looking to lay eggs on the nasturtiums but I don't really mind. I haven't seen many butterflies yet this year even though the buddelias are flowering. Later I heard a strange cry and saw a sparrowhawk flying overhead. 

With the strong winds the temperature flipped rapidly from burning to cool and back again which didn't put me off sitting outside reading my Kindle. For once the town sounds were subdued by the roar of the wind in the trees. Peter joined me for a while to read and chat. It was funny to see that he dressed for the cold spells while I dressed for the heat so both of us were right for half the time.

Peter was down to his last cookie so I baked another batch of peanut and chcolate chunk cookies. (Note the gap where I tested one.) I should have done them yesterday and filled the house with the smell of baking.  

I left last year's begonias in the window box outside the sitting room window to see what would happen and they have regrown. That includes the trailing orange one in the top photo.

Wet.

A grey day with almost constant drizzle hazing out the views.

The estate agent phoned this morning booking two viewings for today. Peter had a word with the agent about the way the price is given on the house details. We did have it as a set price from which most people expect to bargain you down a little but then the agent persuaded us to try putting a lower price with the text 'offers above'. He was sure that would lead to us getting our asking price. However it seems that people see the figure, ignore the text and then think they can buy it at an even lower price. I've just checked and it's back on at the original set price. The afternoon viewers were a young couple looking for a first home. Maybe it's just me but I tend to think that younger people are looking for something they can do up themselves rather than a house where all the problems have been sorted out.

Just had the second viewing which I think was a bit more hopeful and they were even talking about where their furniture could go. At least the rain had stopped and Hartland could once more be seen in the distance. Well at least we had two viewings for one tidy up. 

Apart from tidying, waiting and showing people around I haven't done much today other than play the piano. 

Grey.

Grey and windy today with a smattering of rain. I think of all nature's sounds the sound of the wind is the one that calls to my heart. Hence my tendency to leave the windows ajar to catch the howl of the gusting wind.

Today has been another rest day in an attempt to get on top of this rib thing. The NHS info site says it can take up to a year while my doctor implied it's here to stay but I'd like to think that it might eventually improve. That's enough health stuff for now.

I got the last of my admin done, something a neighbour from Dingles had asked me to do.I needed to fill out a form about a right of way, a lane between the fields, that a farmer had closed off and claimed as his own. This is the same unpleasant chap who we blocked putting up an industrial sized wind turbine some years ago. There had been a court case over the right of way which he'd lost but it is going up for appeal and the council wanted statements from people who had used that lane.

Yesterday's playing around on-line included finding this photo of the convent boarding school I went to when I was 6-10 years old. There was nothing wrong with the place but that was too young to send a child away even if we did go home every third weekend. It's no longer a school or even a convent but has been converted to housing with more houses built where the playground and classrooms were.

Grey.

For most of the day it's been dark and grey with occasional spells of rain. Just now the sun broke through for a brief moment but that was it.

I've had a quiet day playing the piano, doing some admin and a bit of sewing. Repairing a pair of joggers (Peter's) and putting elastic in one of my tops. I also made myself some dulce de leche. I'd not tried it before but it looked like something I'd like. Very easy to make and definitely yum. The only ingredient was a tin of condensed milk and as I opened that with a tin opener I realised that it's been a very long time since I've needed to use a tin opener. The only tins we buy are chopped tomatoes which Peter uses in his culinary exploits and cat food tins which have a ring pull opener. Along with most of the country the lockdown has led to a bit lots of weight gain which on my part has been due cheering myself up when feeling ill and distraction when waiting for the next dose of pain killers. I'm not quite ready to go back to dieting so it's not helpful when our Prime Minister who is overweight himself launches a campaign against overweight and obese people. Yes, it's another risk factor for covid and there are all the other health implications but I can't help feeling this is another distraction to stop the questions about the govt's mishandling of the whole covid crisis. In the meantime I'm looking forward to some dulce de leche on a slice of vanilla cheesecake. Tomorrow I'll try it with low fat plain yoghurt, kind of a healthier version (maybe).

I indulged looking in through my Borth photos and in some garden planning playing around with Paint to show the raised bed I'd like to put under the terrace. Instead of the existing steps the path will be a gentle slope leading down to the main garden level. The latest from the builder is that he's taken down the front door porch. The rebuild for that will be after we move up there. 

The rose bush has nearly finished flowering so this is probably the last of the close ups of the sweetly scented booms.  

Grey.

It's been a grey day with a warmer wind. It often looked as if it was going to rain but never did and the sun made a valiant effort to break through the clouds later in the afternoon.

There wsn't too much tidying up to do in preparation for this afternoon's viewing. Mainly I went out and tidied up the plants in the front garden. The lavender pots needed a good trim and I regretfully cut down the passionflower that the slugs attacked. There's a slim chance that it might regrow from the base but so far it's not looking good. After producing a wonderful display of pink and blue blooms the hydrangea is begining lose its colour so I began cutting that back too. While I worked I chatted to my neighbour who was out tidying up her front garden. 

Today's viewers turned up on time and it was (I think) another good viewing). The chap and his BIL lived in the next road so they knew the area well. He's looking to buy a house to rent to his sister  who works in the local school and currently lives on the other side of town. Checking on-line this afternoon this is only house in this price range in this area. I did get a nasty surprise when I saw a house in the road opposite for the same price but then I saw that it only has two bedrooms. Phew. There is one house in the next road but it's a four bed house and £30K more.  It's always better when there isn't much competition. 

Wet.

It's been a grey day. Light drizzle began in the afternoon and now the windows are speckled with heavy drizzle. 

After yesterday's disappointment things have perked up today. Another viewing was booked for this afternoon and more people are coming to view tomorrow. Today's family were very nice, spent an hour and the signs were good. But you never know.

I had enough time to pop out to do the shopping before this afternoon's viewing but with a deadline to keep I had to resort to wearing a watch so I could keep an eye on the time. That made me realise how much I enjoy not having any time restrictions in my daily life. I prefer not to be rushing. Today is the last day before face coverings are mandatory for shopping and there were certainly a lot more people already wearing masks. It'll be interesting when everyone should be wearing one. 

After Lidl's I called in at Laura Ashley. The shop was looking sadly bare and while the last pieces of furniture were still far beyond my budget the furnishing fabrics were now reduced by 70%. That tempted me to buy the last 1.70m of the patterned fabric which was originally £36/m. and 2m of the velvety blueish fabric which was originally £26/m. The camera doesn't really pick up the blue colour properly but they go well with the other fabric and the blue cushions I bought reduced in Wilko's. I don't have a specific project for them yet but I suspect more cushion covers. That is once I've bought extra cushions. I'm even thinking about using any left-overs for patchwork. I still remember a designer friend of my mother's whose mother had sewn the most exqusite patchwork cushion covers for their very smart sofa.

Sunny.

Another sunny day but the coming change could be seen in the oddly shaped clouds and much cooler breeze.

This morning we had a phone call from the estate agents booking a viewing for later in the arfternoon. Plenty of time for us to put our well oiled 'tidy away' plan into operation.  The place was looking as tidy as it can, the sun was shining and there were no loud radios blaring across the back gardens though that was a bit touch and go. The washing had been in the machine when we got the phone call but there was enough time for it to dry out on the line and be folded away ready for ironing. (Yesterday's bleaching of the door seal was fairly successful.) Peter sat himself out in the back garden and I waited for the doorbell to ring, and waited and waited. After making enquires the agent got back to us with the news that the New Bridge was closed and as a consequence traffic in town was grid locked. A couple of phone calls later and the viewing was rescheduled for 4.00. By 4.30 we eventually got the news that the viewers were on their way back to London and would like to view next week-end. Let's hope that goes more successfully.

So all in all not the best of days. You get your hopes up and then nothing. There's no reason that this place shouldn't sell .... apart from the housing slump due to Brexit and then Covid. At least we know we have Red Roofs to move to and each phone call from there signals progress. The latest news is that the textured paper has been removed from all the ceilings. I was prepared to put up with it if the cost was too high but really it was very dated. Who knows what the style will be in the next 10 or 20 years? 

Sunny.

Lots of sun again today. The only clouds appeared just when I'd washed my hair and gone to sit out in the sun to dry it off. Not only that but I'd applied the juice of a lemon (I bought a net of six on special offer when I made the lemon cake.) for a bit of natural lightening. Fortunately the clouds cleared and my hair dried into crisp curls.

With such good weather it had to be a washing day followed by an ironing session. Wipng out the washing machine after the wash I saw that there was still mold on the door seal. No matter how much I scrub with bleach I can't seem to get rid of it. What it needs is a new seal. There are videos on-line showing how to fit a new seal but alarm bells rang when the expert said fitting the spring that holds the seal on 'could be fiddly'. Also for our model of machine you need to remove the top panel which of course means pulling the machine out from under the counter. I think I'll wait to get somebody in until we're in Borth when the machine will be in the utility room. I have looked and there are several places in Aberystwyth that do washing machine repairs. In the meantime I cut wide strips from a dust sheet which I stuffed into the fold of the rubber seal and also between the seal and the body of the machine. Then I poured/squirted bleach onto the fabric and left it soaking for the day. I'll run a hot wash later, not with the soapy detergent, and that is all I can do for the moment.

Yesterday's mowing and hoovering did not do my ribs much good so for the rest of the day I've just been sitting either out in the sun or indoors. That is apart from doing the ironing and washing the wheelie bin after the bin men had been. 

Sunny.

Lots of sun with a few fluffy clouds and a constant cooling breeze. Perfect sunbathing weather, maybe even too good. We try to limit the amount of time actually sitting in the sun and also use high factor suncream. 

Peter has now progressed to cutting all of the communal grass, not just the bit in front of our house which I think is taking community spirit a bit far. However he has persuaded a couple of the neighbours, the ones with young families, to cut the grass once in a while too. I just think it would make the job easier if the other three households that have lawnmowers would join in as well. My contribution is to mow our little lawn as it's an awkward shape and has plants spreading over the grass that need moving out of the way. 

I noticed the other day that one of the passion flowers wasn't looking happy. I thought it was due to insects so I sprayed with bug killer. Then today I saw that the plant was just about dead. Closer inspection showed slugs had stripped the stem, aargh! I've applied slug pellets but I've little hope that the passion flower will recover. And it had half a dozen flower buds about to open. I keep my use of slug pellets to a minimum but this is one case where they are needed.

This afternoon I thought I'd follow Peter's example and use my Kindle to read a book. (Invisible Women is the sort of book you can only read one or two chapters at a time.) Up till now I've just used my Kindle to play Scrabble which keeps me well entertained and hopefully working the brain. This morning I downloaded a free book but when I went to read it outside I couldn't see a thing. I tried turning my chair around and shading the screen but nothing helped. In the end I went and found an Ian Banks book to read on Peter's shelf. The majority of our vast collection of books are still packed away from the last move. Only when Peter came to join me outside did I find out that I should have tried increasing the brightness of the screen but by that time the Kindle was back in our bedroom and I was too settled to give it a try.

Last night's blazing sunset.

Sunny.

The overnight rain left the gardens sparkling in the morning sunshine. There were quite a few clouds to begin with but they gradually dispersed and right now (5.00pm) the sky is unbroken blue.

Our neighbouring families are making the best of the weather. Three families have spent the afternoon out on the grass with lively children enjoying a sprinkler and water slide as well as this paddling pool for the little ones while the parents sit in camp chairs and chat.

Today I've got on with sewing the remaining three cushion covers. I modified my design and rounded off the corners even more for a better fit. When it came to sewing on the poppers I was able to sit outside with Peter and enjoy the relative peace of the back gardens. While working on the floor I've made up my mind that I really need a large work table in my new study. What would be perfect would be the solid wood table 3ft x 5ft that came from my mother's house and is currently in the garage. However I shortened the legs and for years we used it as a generous coffee table. Not much use as a work table. But what if I could replace the legs? Better still if it would sit steadily on a pair of trestle legs when family come to stay it would be easy to take apart and pop in the garage. (My study will also be the guest room.) Brilliant idea. That is unless we decide to reinstate it as a coffee table in Borth but with the sitting room area being about the same as here I think it will be too big.