Grey.

Very grey and wild today with some rain.

I was woken this morning by Peter telling me the builder was here. Hmm, what did he expect me to do? Anyway, it was the lad come to finish off the drain pipe fitting the rainwater diverter to the water butt. It's a good thing I planned for the water butt to go there as the drain below is only a soakaway. There is a proper drain further back along the building but the down pipe to it hasn't been replaced. (Peter says that's okay.)

The lad also put up a board across the gap to give us some privacy.

While all that was going on I loaded up 9 bags of hedge trimmings into the car and took them down to the dump. I didn't have to wait at all but that was the best part of a long shopping trip. Next stop was Screwfix who not only didn't have the step-up but were unable to order one for some reason. Neither did they have black or white rainwater diverter kits which they have ordered for me and last of all no jubilee clips in the size I wanted. Then to Morrisons where a search of the garden centre yielded another unusual clematis with yellow lantern type flowers. They really do have a good selection of plants for a supermarket. 

Next I headed back into town stopping in the car park by Matalan. I was going to get another towel for the kitchen but they didn't have the size I wanted in the right colour. Into Home Stores which didn't have the particular plasters I wanted or any paper lantern light shades. I can get all these things on-line but I think it's important to try to keep the local shops viable. It would help if they had the goods I want. Then in town I went back to the shoe shop and ordered a pair of Wider Fit walking boots. I'd gone through the catalogue before consigning it to the recycling bin and discovered that the walking boots come in continental sizes and may well do. We'll see. The last item I looked for was a wetsuit for Peter's birthday present as his old one is so old it's falling apart. You'd think that being a coastal area it wouldn't be hard to find a wetsuit but it seems there's a global shortage. Even the Saltrock shop didn't have any at all and they make their own brand wetsuits in Devon. Luckily the assisatant in Saltrock told me of another shop in a tucked away street that had wetsuits. There I had the grand choice of one wetsuit in the right size and it was rather expensive. I bought it anyway with the assurance that should it not fit or the chest zip prove too awkward once Peter tries it on after his stitches have healed I can bring it back.

I was feeling quite worn out by the time I got home so all I did was watch tv with a cup of coffee. Thankfully there's still some hearty soup for supper and I bought some wholemeal muffins which will go well with it.