Jellyfish.

It feels as if the weather is about to change and the first rain for weeks began falling just as I tottered to the back garden to bring in a couple of towels from the line. But for the most part it was still incredibly warm. It's been hotter here than many Meditteranean holiday destinations but of course they are guaranteed to be hot while for us it is a matter of luck.

I set the alarm so that I would be ready to take Speedy to the vet for his second vaccination but for once I woke extra early and was up by 5.00. I thought it might jolt my body clock into a more sensible sleeping pattern and we've got an early start tomorrow too.

Having done all the morning jobs and eaten my breakfast I still had plenty of time before I needed to drive Speedy into town so I treated myself to a walk along the beach. I've been so busy lately that I haven't walked on the beach for weeks. Being early in the day there wasn't a soul on the beach unlike the crowds I've been observing from my vantage point on the terrace. The algal bloom is still around making the sea a bit smelly. Not terrible, just the rotting seaweed smell you get in harbours. Maybe it doesn't worry me because from the time I could walk I was playing on the beach and in the harbour at St Ives.

No people but lots of jellyfish. Everything from the common Barrel Jellyfish, the biggest one I saw was about 18 inches across, down to a 1 inch sea gooseberry which technically is a comb jelly.

There were a few harmless moon jellyfish, 6-8 inches across,

and many compass jellyfish most of which were abaout 4 inches across and some almost double that.

I haven't been able to identify this purple jellyfish (4 inches across) with a mass of pink fronds rather than long stingers underneath.

Speedy's trip to the vet for his second vaccination jab was fairly uneventful but he still has a gum infection. I'm picking up some oral gel for him on Monday but if that doesn't help he might need the socket cleaned out, yikes that's another general anaesthetic. Fingers crossed that the gel helps.

I made a flying visit to Lidl leaving the car in the shade with the windows open so Speedy didn't overheat and then it was back to Borth much to Speedy's relief.

Next on the schedule was a craft fair at the hall. They always have some lovely stuff, prints, ceramics, wood, jewellery, needle felting and basketry and more. I go there not looking for a bargain but for something beautiful for the home and with the intention of supporting local crafts people. This time I came home with a ceramic dragon made by a local potter. While not cheap it was the same price as one of the mass produced windchimes I'd been hankering after at Corris and I'm so glad I saved my pennies for the dragon. 

Finally it was time to work on the wall. I only needed to clean off four more blocks and then was able to start mixing up more mortar. The blocks were stuck in place, the middle section of coping stones done and all that's left is one short run of coping stones. At one point I thought I might carry on and do the lot but I ran out of energy and still had the tidying up to do. It was then that it began to rain so I would have had to stop anyway. We've had a few longer showers but no sign of the thunderstorms we had been warned about.

The new Sky box arrived in the afternoon but when Peter set it up I found to my horror that my large selection of recorded programmes had been wiped. I've tried to remember all the regular favourites but for some reason I can only get episode 4 of The Sewing Bee and not episodes 2 and 3 which I had been saving to watch. Hopefully I'll be able to find them on my pc.