A Busy Day.

There was some 'almost sunshine' in the afternoon but on the whole it has been grey. Warm, but grey. 

I didn't sleep well and ended up getting up before 6.00. It was still dark as I sat outside so I watched the lights. The tide had gone out leaving the sand wet and perfect for reflecting the village street lights.  Across the bay in the distance was the twinkling line of Tywyn's street lights. In the middle distance I followed the progress of a set of orange lights, some sort of machinery I would think, moving briskly along the coast road while above more orange lights, a tractor? made their way slowly up a steep hillside. 

Then suddenly a nearby headland, about five miles away, was lit up from behind as if by a giant searchlight. The bright light rounded the point and shone straight at us before disappearing from sight. This would have been the early train from Pwllheli to Mach. From our trip in spring I know that it runs behind the houses in Aberdyfi and then through a couple of short tunnels which is why I lost sight of it.

After eating some breakfast I went back outside by which time it was light. In the distance a lower set of clouds were skimming over the tops of the hills. Not quite 'dragon's breath' clouds (a cloud inversion) though they could have been sitting in the valley on the far side of the hill. 

 

There must have been some good thermals over the bay this morning. First I spotted the village flock of (at least 100) jackdaws swirling higher and higher and then other flocks I think of rooks, came and rode the thermal as well. Just as I was about to go back indoors along came several large flocks of starlings practising their moves for their famous evening murmurations over Aberystwyth Pier.

In the riding lesson today I rode Cody who I've ridden a couple of times before. He's very well schooled and is used for people doing more advanced dressage as well as jumping. While not such a sweetie like Cadno he is relatively easy to ride though I'm so tired after this week that I was happy just to be riding and not worry too much about finesse. 

I did get quite confused on the last exercise and spent more time laughing than doing it properly. Which was this .. with six of us in the lesson Katie set out some markers indicating six 10m circles, one in each in the corner and two in the middle of the long sides. We were supposed to do every single circle as we came to it which meant passing close to the person doing the circle from the other side of the arena. For some reason I couldn't visualise the corner circles (I wasn't the only one getting in a muddle) and with people's horses trotting a different speeds it was a bit of a mess. I was getting the hang of it by the end though by that time I had resorted to sitting trot which I find quite easy as I couldn't concentrate on going up and down and using my legs to create bend at the same time.

After riding it was the usual run; dump, Morrison's, Charlie's and Lidl's. I didn't bother walking round the town but just went in Craft which is by Lidl's car park.

I bought some black spray paint in Charlie's and after sticking on some hemispheres for eyes I gave the spider a coat of black. It's not too scary but I shall hang the bowl for the sweets right under the spider. Somehow.

When I finally sat down with a big mug of tea I began felting a fish decoration as I don't like not having a project to do.