Warm.

It was warm and grey this morning. A generally muggy day with blue skies later in the afternoon.

Even though Jason the car mechanic is no longer based in Borth he was happy to come and collect the car this morning to take it for its MOT. And I'm pleased to report that it passed with flying colours. It helps that Jason gives it a spray with wax oil underseal each year to protect it from the salt winds. 

While Peter worked on tidying up his workshop in the garage, a never quite completed task, I gave the hedge a trim. That's a job that has to be done unless you have unlimited space for the hedge to spread into. Peter did come and help with the sweeping up which gave my back a rest. There was a little clipping to do on the inside and it was time to start cutting back the buddleia. It's a good plant for the garden but can easily get out of hand so I'm going with this cutting guide that I made up - shoulder height once the flowers are over (now), waist height when the leaves begin to fall (autumn) and knee high when the first leaf buds appear (spring). I've tried to have plants which need minimal work but there always a bit that needs doing especially if I keep trying to cram in as many plants as possible.

It turned into a good drying day so two loads of washing are on the line. I've been checking to see if the waves are good enough for bodyboarding but they are breaking too close to shore to make it worth going down.

I'm hoping the skies will clear tonight. Yesterday I'd done my usual thing of falling asleep and then waking half an hour later when I heard the weather forecaster on the radio say that it was a good time to go out to see the Perseids. Naturally I got up to have a look though I did know that the peak night is tonight. It was lovely and warm outside, even the stone paving was still warm but clouds almost covered the sky. I waited until the street lights at the side of the house went off at 1.30 and then brought out the sun lounger. There were a few gaps with tantalising glimpses of the stars beyond and whoosh a meteor but that was about it. I stayed listening to the waves and hoping for the clouds to clear but pleasant as it was all I saw were the lights of planes flying westwards towards North America. Fingers crossed for tonight.

We found ourselves a dragon yesterday.