Happy Birthday Vytas.

Happy Birthday to Vytas, our oldest. I can't believe he's already 37, the years have flown by so quickly.

I chose this photo of him taken in the New Forest last May as it shows how he takes after both of us in different ways. He's enjoying a pint of Pete's favourite beer while showing that he shares my fascination for LOTR and my hairstyle though his hair is a little longer and a lot thicker.

He and Sally have done a lot of travelling this year, mostly to heavy metal gigs in this country and abroad. That included a visit to the Czech Republic where they stayed in an old prison and he was able to show what his job as a scientist might have been like in days gone by.

They had a holiday in France and recently one in Lanzarote where they enjoyed the sun, volcanic landscape and historical sites. They also came to visit us when the weather was a lot wetter.

It was wet here today as well. A heavy sea mist that didn't lift until well into the afternoon.

The mist made for some pretty flower close-ups.

I had a quick walk along the beach on a roundabout route to buy some bread from the shop. At the moment there's a lot of sand on the beach which is great for walking on.

Zoom class today was all about roedd/oedd [oi-th] and doedd - it was/was it? and it was not. That got quite confusing when we had to ask and then answer questions together. We got even more confused when our tutor lost her internet connection and we were just looking at each other wondering what to do. That only lasted for a few moments before she was back with us once more.

Once class was over I got on with the next stage of the hall cupboard alteration which was to remove the bottom half of the front. I couldn't undo the screws in the hinges so rather than risk damaging the surrounding plaster by bashing at the frame I chiselled away the wood from the hinges until I could bend the whole door off. That made a mess of the doors but they're going to the dump anyway. I've decided not even to investigate the structure of the brickwork above the cupboard. That was after I realised that taking out the board that's there would let down all the dirt and stuff that's accumulated in the chimney over at least the last 30 years. Can't bear the thought of that so I'll go with what we have.

Then it was time for disco aerobics. I got myself much nearer the front to get a better view of our teacher's feet. I was dripping with sweat by the end of the class which was either down to working harder or maybe just because the ceiling heaters are turned on at the front of the hall.