Dry.

A typical British summer day today, plenty of clouds, a bit of blue sky and sort of warm.

I was glad that I could get out in the garden to work on the paving. I swapped the grey slab for a red one (it's not as if I'm short of spare slabs) and then laid two more. That was done before going to the stables and once I returned I redid another slab that was a bit wobbly and then relaid two slabs on the far side which weren't level. All that remains to do is one slab that needs to be cut to size. Though now I look at the photo I think I'll put down another two slabs so that there are slabs all along the step.

Today was the last RDA class for the summer term though I shall be carying on going to the stables for my riding lessons. I was with the bigger pony Sox again and for once I got to lead her. This was part of my official training. As volunteers range from no experience with horses right up to experienced riders there is a 'green card' with lots of sections to be ticked by the group instructor before you are deemed competent. The person leading the pony is also responsible for checking the tack. My job was not to interact with the child but listen out for the instructions Mainly '1,2,3, stop' which the child joins in with and then stand in front of the pony often while the child does an activity such as finding the correct colour bucket for the bean bags. And then it's 'Ready, steady, go' for walking on. Poor Sox gets bored and doesn't want to walk on so I learnt to start tugging on the lead rope at 'Ready'. She's not so bad at the far end of the school but get near the entrance gates and she tends to grind to a halt. Because I wasn't supposed to be joining in with the talking I kept up a sotto voce one way conversation with Sox which she seemed to respond to.

It's getting a bit cooler at the start and end of the day and although I'm still in shorts I've begun wearing my fingerless mittens and my poor toes can feel the cold draught that swirls along at floor level. I wish we could have just a little of the heat being felt in other countries. Only a few degrees would do. Fingers crossed for some late summer warmth.