Sunny.

Last night's sunset (made more dramatic by the camera).

I got my head down in good time last night and woke nice and early this morning to find the sun shining through the windows. I had set the alarm just in case as Speedy had an appointment at the vets at 9.30.

As I sat outside this morning I heard a cat calling out as it walked down the road. I knew it wasn't Speedy as he was tucked up in his cosy nest after a very small breakfast. A moment later the cat I call Little Ginge came sauntering up the garden path. He checked out the usual sniffing spots and then proceeded to have a good old munch on some catnip growing in a tub. Apart from occasionally sleeping in the middle of the catmint bush in the back garden Speedy isn't interested in either catmint or catnip but Little Ginge obviously likes it. So much so that I had to send him on his way before he ate the whole plant.

On the way to the vets and once we were in the waiting room Speedy did his 'I'm at death's door' croaking and I had to explain to the other people there that there was nothing at all the matter with him and he was only there for his yearly injection. He managed to stop croaking once I began giving him Dreamies which he only has on special occasions (a trip to the vet or medicines). One quick injection into the scruff of his neck - £50 and six month's worth of flea & tick drops another £50. It's never cheap when you go to the vet. 

Once we got home I headed out to the garden and gave the top and street side of the hedge a trim with the electric cutter. I took up to 12" off the top keeping it above the eye line of people walking past and giving us a better view out to sea. Our neighbour on that side came out and offered to take my bags of trimmings up to his farm as he was planning a bonfire this afternoon. That was very helpful as I've already got a load of bags to take to the dump on Friday. 

Later I dug up a lot of the montbretia that I had planted under the hedge. My plan had been to cover up a gap so that I wasn't looking through the pierced wall blocks at the street beyond but the montbretia had grown too well and the 4ft leaves were swamping a skimmia and the fuchsia at the front of the raised bed. I've left some of the montbretia that is right under the hedge but now will have to think of something I can plant in that dry spot which is full of bluebells in the spring. Perhaps I'll let the Welsh poppies spread with their cheery yellow colour.

I've been researching upright freezers and though a Beko freezer seems to be top of the reviews the one we're getting rid of is also a Beko and we don't want to repeat our mistake. Instead I think I'll pay more and go for a Bosch freezer as the reviews are also good and I trust the  brand more.