100 !!

Whoo hoo, I've just completed my third set of squats for the day. 100 each time, which is such an achievement for me as I've never been a 'sporty' person. Active and outdoorsy yes but not sporty. But the way my mind works if someone like a physiotherapist gives me an exercise routine I will follow it to the letter and for years. 

This morning there was an even harder frost so I was glad I'd covered up the succulents. But when I looked out of the window the towels were lying on the paving a few feet away from the plants. That had me confused and worried but Peter reassured me that the plants were covered up when he made our early teas at 7.00. My best guess is that it was seagulls looking for food under the towels. I may get the trail cam out to see if it happens again. 

This morning I went to the Community Gardens where they were holding a small jumble sale to raise funds towards a new bus shelter. The council removed the old bus shelter as it had been damaged by our severe weather and have refused to replace it due to the cost. There is a bench but as you may know it rains a lot in Wales. Not only is the bus used by older people but that is where the youngsters wait for their school bus in the mornings. And most youngsters won't even wear a coat or jacket as they would have to carry it around all day at school. Schools don't have cloakrooms any more as far as I know. So a group of local folk are running jumble sales to raise enough to fund a new bus shelter. 

There wasn't anything suitable for our carnival costumes but I did chat to some familiar faces from Cake and Cultivate (now moved to Fridays so I still can't make it) and had a slice of coffee cake. I could easily have passed on the cake but the volunteers are trying so hard, making cakes and even bringing a camping stove to make tea and coffee that I felt I had to have something.

Afterwards I had a little stroll around the allotments and over by the church.

Back home I varnished all the screws and fittings on the new chairs in an attempt to stop the wet getting to the screws and making them rust. 

Then I did some gardening even though it was quite cold. The azalea I bought last year at Lidl has done well and right now is covered with white flowers so when I saw they had some again (only two left) I bought one to plant over Speedy's resting place. I've also painted his name on a granite 'egg' (one of a set collected by my mother that have moved with us from home to home). That will get a coat of varnish before I put it outside.

Speaking of Lidl - I make every effort to use the same self-service checkout each time as it has a 'fault' which means it doesn't bark out those annoying instructions. Yesterday I was at that checkout when I realised that the checkout next to me was giving those instructions in Welsh. Now that would be interesting. The tannoy makes the 'new checkout opening' announcements in Welsh first but I've never heard Welsh at the self-service checkouts before. Then when the next person came along it was back to English. I can't say I've ever noticed a language option on the screen. Or maybe I was just language confused. It is common to hear people speaking in Welsh when I'm in town and today at the community gardens I was able to follow a conversation and join in at the end. That's progress.

I've just been out to cover the plants and set up the trail cam. The setting sun (which is now visible from the terrace) is casting a pink glow over the village and the Cambrian mountains behind us and windows as far away as Tywyn are blazing with a fiery glow.