Stormy.

We woke this morning to torrential rain, so bad that at times we couldn't even see the sea. While the rain eased off during the day and the sun made an appearance it remained windy all day and the bay was covered with whitecaps as far as the eye could see. By dark the rain returned and it sounds like we're building up to the next major storm, Storm Barra. This one is blowing from the west with Ireland some of which is under a red weather warning, due to bear the brunt of the strong winds. With the worst of the storm arriving at high tide the word is that some of the houses along the beach and maybe the road will suffer some sea flooding. Hopefully the land to the west will provide some protection but I've been out and moved anything that might get blown around by the wind. Before we go to bed tonight we'll put the boxes of books against the doors in the sitting room to keep them secure against sudden gusts. Storm Arwen was said to be the worst storm in decades but I think we're going to get severe storms more frequently now.

This morning I'd gone into my study when I heard the sound of footsteps on the flat roof above. Usually it's the pattering of seagulls or rooks but today it was the builder who had turned up to put back those ridge tiles. The remaining ridge tiles were loose so he stuck those back too and replaced a flat tile that had slid down from somewhere. That is one less thing to worry about. 

Peter has just returned from making the rowing club boat safe. It normally lives on a trailer in the boat park with a tarp over it for the winter but for safety they pushed the trailer to the council car park which is further away from the beach.

My afternoon was spent watching the wild sea as I hand stitched the little curtain. I even mitred the corners which reminded me of a school domestic science exam when I was eleven. This was an exam I failed because instead of folding a mitred corner for the cover of my school hymn book I gave up and chopped the fabric off. 

While Peter was out I treated myself to a long foot soak and sanded off the rough bits with a purple pumice-type block. Who needs to go to a beauty salon? Mind you I did enjoy the pedicure I had in preparation for a family wedding.