Attempt # 2.

I had a very early start today. When I woke up with a sore back and saw that it was already 5.40 I thought I might as well get up for a bit. Walking around generally helps ease off my back so I thought I would prepare breakfast while I was up. But then I fancied a cuppa so I wrapped up well and sat out on the terrace under the stars. 

Of course I had no idea that the clocks had gone back so according to the current time I had got up at 4.40. And now it's dark again so early in the evening.

I was looking forward to going on the group walk but then I checked the weather forecast, more than 95% chance of rain all afternoon. The satellite map looked no better with blue (for rain) over the whole of Ceredigion. And they were correct. Not a good afternoon for a walk.

Instead I took myself off for a morning beach walk. The tide was high and still coming in so I had to walk on the shingle. The recent fierce waves had pulled lots of the smaller stones down the bank making it easier to walk on though of course sand is better. There was lots of sea foam and I couldn't resist walking through some and sending clumps of foam flying up the beach.

I found a washed up lobster pot, a heavy metal one with netting rather than the usual reused plastic containers. I pulled it right up above the tide line to stop any marine life getting caught in it. Sadly I came across the remains of a seal pup. Probably the one that had been under the cliffs, washed out to sea by last week's storm.

At the end of my walk I saw a couple of women, three small children and a dog (also small) exploring a small cove under the cliffs. They looked like city folk and I was concerned as the tide was still rising and the waves were already lapping at the foot of the cliffs where they would have to walk round to get back to the main beach. I watched them for a while wondering if they were going to make their way back and when they didn't I thought I'd better go and have a word. I know us Brits don't like to 'interfere' but now I've reached old lady status I feel I can get away with offering my advice. They were polite,  hadn't realised the tide was coming in and soon made their way back to the beach. That's one less rescue for the RNLI.

When I'm walking on the shingle I keep my eyes open for 'letter stones'. O is very easy to find but I thought it was a good one and then I found A I on another stone.

The rain began shortly after I got home and continued on right through to the evening.

While I was sitting out on the terrace in the early hours I thought about yesterday's patchwork square some more and came to the conclusion that I really didn't like it. A bit more thinking came up with an alternative design that only used strips so no difficult corners to match up. I also ditched one of the greys and added in some light blue instead. It has taken all day but I'm much happier with the result. The grey strips sometimes look silver and sometimes dark grey depending on how the light hits them.

I also baked a Bara Brith which is now sitting in the freezer.