Grey.

A change in the weather today. Much cooler and grey skies. The upside to this is the air holds less moisture giving excellent views to Hartland. I could see details on the cliffs which are 20 miles away as the crow flies.

I went out shopping today. The roads and shops were crowded but it was reassuring to find most people complying with the mask wearing rules. I saw two adults in Tescos not wearing a mask and although I thought about saying something I didn't. One of them was a burly bloke with his neck tube which he must have had pulled up as he walked in the shop past the staff member at the door, back down around his neck. Apart from my natural reticence his use of swear words in normal conversation led me to think he might react badly. I called in at BJ's first to make a cash purchase because we'd used the pound coin I keep in the car towards paying for the car park at Hartland and I needed one for the trolley at Lidl's. (Tesco's trolleys don't need a coin.) In BJ's I looked around the garden centre but didn't find anything that took my fancy so I ended up buying a cat toy for Speedy. It was just a sacking toy with a chicken feather tail and bell on a length of elastic attached to a wooden stick. Only £1 and I have to say that Speedy has already had a lot of fun attacking it.

I had my usual check of the clothing and household goods in Tesco's but nothing took my fancy. I also made a final call in to an almost empty Laura Ashley. A few items of furniture had been reduced further but I still wouldn't pay nearly £500 for an armchair. They're also selling off all the shop fittings. I walked into the shop past a woman carrying several wooden tray type drawers and some plastic clothes hangers. The trays were only £2 each but I couldn't think of a use for them and as for the hangers ...... a number of shops in town have boxes of them for free. 

At home I washed out the bin after the dustmen had been and had a conversation across the grass with one of the neighbours who lives opposite. Her little black cat had come walking into our garden and carried on walking up to me. She sniffed at my hand but when I went to stroke her back she let out a fearsome hiss. Her owner said that she's quite nervous. I wondered if she had a sore back or been hit by somebody at some point. There are two or maybe three black cats that are at home in several of the neighbours' gardens and houses. I've been told that they came from the same litter but I'm not sure who the official owners are. I think they originated in a rougher home a bit further along.

Interesting cloud formations last night.