Spider Alert. (Sorry Kate.)

Much the same as yesterday, cold winds, short showers and the occasional promise of sun.

This morning's task was to install one of the venetian blinds in our bedroom. You kind of get used to living in rough and ready conditions so it didn't seem so bad with the plastic table covers on the window. However the pile of boxes and tools has gradually been diminishing to the point where there wasn't too much to move to gain access to the window. The blind we put up in the sitting room was the first we'd ever had so when the packing contained six metal fittings that's how many we put up. Carefully spaced across the top of the window it was fiddly work. Today even though the blind was the same size there were only three fittings and when we checked the second blind that had only three as well. A consultation with Prof. Google revealed that three was quite sufficient. Having got the blind up I have to say I'm impressed with the amount of visibility we have from inside (above) while still being screened from passers-by. If the slats are fully open (below) the end section has a sea view! An extra bonus is that moving the boxes back to that side of the room allowed me to organise things so that there seems to be even more room.

All morning Peter kept a close eye on the weather as he was rowing later on. The rain held off and he had a good row. Unfortunately getting out of the boat his foot slipped causing him to fall and bang his ribs. No serious damage but he's bound to be sore for a few days and of course this could set off an arthritic attack. Hopefully not. He's now busy ordering some non-slip rock climbing/other sports footwear that was reccomended by one of the rowing club members.

Apologies to any arachnophobic readers for the next two photos of a Tegenaria (House Spider) that I came across on Thursday night when I'd gone into the kitchen for my glasses. I don't mind spiders except on the ceiling above my pillow when they have to be removed. When I was teaching I would drill into the children's heads that 'Flies are dirty so we don't like flies. Spiders eat flies so we do like spiders.' Speedy had followed me into the kitchen so I scooped him up before he noticed the spider and put him back in the bedroom as I didn't want him eating the poor spider.

Yesterday evening we were watching television when I looked up and saw the spider 'hidden' in the sitting room curtain which made me smile.

Sunset last night.