Showers.

It's been a day of frequent spells of light rain.

Above is the view we have when rain  arrives. Look carefully and you might see the lone kayaker out by the rocks on the left. This was at about 8.30. Before that it had been relatively bright and even earlier, around 7.30 there had been an extra layer of clouds that looked more like smoke above the river.

I decided to check the tide times so that I could aim for low tide and have the most sand to walk on. Six sites gave me six different times ranging from 10.16 to 10.30. I was out by 10.30 and had a good stretch of sand to stride out on.

I think the earliest time must have been nearest the mark as usually the sea is further back and I can walk between the green marker thingy and the rocks. Or maybe it just wasn't a very low tide. It began to rain while I was still on the beach and then the light rain got a lot heavier. I'd been smiling as I watched a toddler, in full waterproofs, having a wonderful time paddling in a pool in the sand with his bucket while his mum looked on with younger child in a carrier on her back. When the rain started she bent down and the toddler tried to pull up the baby's hood but didn't quite manage it so I went over and offered to help. I breached the 6ft rule for less than a minute and I'm sure the sea winds would have blown away any germs.

Back home I spent the time in between showers cutting up the branches in the big pile. I've about done all the fresh cuttings and just have last year's efforts to break up. Looking out of the window we keep looking at those last few branches on the bush that are overhanging the neighbour's drive. One large one in particular intrudes into our sea view. I thought I shouldn't really be a wimp about talking to strangers and should just go and ask if it was okay for me to stand in the drive and cut the branches. So that's what I did. The door was answered by a carer I hadn't seen before. I introduced myself and asked nicely but the man just said that his father-in-law was going to cut it. To be sure I asked if he didn't want me to cut it myself and he said No. He wasn't rude but not friendly either. I'll wait until different carers are in and lean over from our side to get that annoying big branch.

The rest of my day has been spent on fruitless internet searches. I'm still unsure about the kitchen splashback. I keep looking at different companies and then trying to find reviews but who knows if they're truthful? One poor company has got mostly excellent reviews but there's another company with and extra 's' in their name which has so many terrible reviews. My other searches have been to find a bathroom cabinet to fit under the sink I salvaged. Almost impossible. I think that sink must have been one of the majority which are sold with the matching unit. Just had a brainwave (at least I think so). Why does it have to be a 'bathroom' cabinet? Kitchen wall units come in the right size (50cms x 30 cms) and one from Wickes would be £34. When we get round to doing the toilet I shall run that idea past the builder/plumber and see what they think.