One Skip, Two Skips.

It was a bit grey and damp this morning but brightened up later on.

I was up well before daybreak and even though I have a whole list of things to do before I can relax it was still dark by the time I went to sit outside. I say dark but of course the two street lights that didn't go off until 7.30 kept the terrace and garden well lit. I still had a very relaxing time taking in the sights and sounds around me as the world woke up. Over to the east the first dawn light was creeping over an ominous looking cloud bank. Above, the stars shone for a short time until they were hidden by hazy clouds and far ahead a twinkling line of lights (Tywyn's street lights) marked the boundary between land and sea where the bay curves westwards. A single light, possibly a fishing boat shone out at sea and much further west once in a while I caught sight of the lighthouse on the Llyn. Nearer to home I was puzzled by a line of six lights either at the end of the village or at Ynyslas. Having taken and enlarged a photo in the daylight I can see that they are street lights down at Ynyslas but the odd angle makes it difficult to place them. There was also a single light on the beach here, I'm guessing that was someone out beach fishing. All this was to the gentle murmuring of the waves, the occasional melodic chiming from the windchimes and a chirrup or two from the robin and wren that live in the garden. Then came wake up calls from blackbirds in the gardens around, a group of noisy rooks and much later the sounds of the seagulls heading off as usual.

 

Work has continued outside. The builders still hadn't arrived when a lorry turned up with the sand. Knowing that a skip was also due I wasn't too sure where the sand should go but luckily the boss builder turned up and arranged things to his satisfaction. Eventually the builder's men turned up and cleared all the old render into first one and then a second skip. Everything is now ready to start putting the render on the wall which I presume will be happening tomorrow.

I have noticed that they have moved some of the bricks that make up the supports for the plant troughs. That will be fun when they try to put the troughs back as not only are the bricks of random sizes but the wall increases in height and it took me a long time to get them all sorted. (I've no idea why Blogger thinks this is a link and I can't change it.)

My back was feeling better after last night's Pilates so I went down to the zoo and spent over three hours weeding the badly overgrown woodchip in the large play area. Still at least two more weeks work to clear it all but it looks a lot better now. There were quite a few families around, half-term dates vary around the country so it might already be half-term for some.

All I've done at home is pack the truffles ready for posting tomorrow. Another hour and I'll be off to choir. 

Hacked Off.

For once that doesn't refer to me though I know I'm often complaining, too often probably. Today it was the opposite as the builders turned up at 8.30 to start work hacking off the old render. The original plan had been to keep and just repair the middle section where the two bedroom windows are but the recent rain had highlighted a number of cracks and damp areas indicating the whole lot was not in good condition and needed to come off.

Today would have been a perfect day to disappear down to the zoo but as my back has been twinging a lot I didn't think that would be a good idea. If only I hadn't woken with a headache which is simmering away still. You can't imagine the racket with four builders drilling away at every part of the wall. It was horrendous. In the end I escaped out to one of the benches on the cliff with a book, kindle and cup of coffee. It wasn't that warm and everything was wet so I wore waterproof over trousers as well as coat and woolly hat. That was at least better than staying at home. 

Now that the render is off these walls we can see what a poor job the window fitters made when they put in the new windows with insufficient foam filler around the sides. (The company has since closed down.) Interestingly it is clear that there used to be a normal sized window by the front door. There have been so many changes to the house since it was built and originally the kitchen would have been in the room behind the front door. 

The skip lorry turned up but must have brought the wrong sized skip as we are still waiting for the skip and then a sand delivery. Those concrete blocks form the stand for another water butt which will be useful for watering the troughs that go behind the wall. I'm still happy with my unconventional planting of montbretia in those troughs. 

Later in the afternoon I coated the birthday present truffles. I had a go at tempering the chocolate using Peter's meat thermometer. With such a small amount of chocolate the temperature dropped very quickly but I think I can detect a bit more of a sheen to the chocolate and the bits I taste tested seemed to have more of a crunch.

It was wet outside this morning so I had my early tea sitting in the doorway watching the gulls on their daily commute southwards.

After the Storm.

After a couple of early showers the day has been mostly sunny and mild.

Very different from last night when the 0.5m storm surge on top of the high tide sent foam and water over the sea wall and down the road leading to the railway station. I stood out on the terrace at 12.30, an hour after high tide and even in the dark I could see the foaming waves reaching the top of the beach. I expect some of the houses that sit right on the beach would have had waves and stones in their back yards too. Driving along the High Street this morning we had to go carefully over the stones that had been left across the road wherever the sea had come through the little passageways or by the station.

(Photo - Borth Coastguard.)

FB video taken by Ruth Watkins

We were driving to Mach to meet up with our friends in the library for our Welsh practice but had to turn around at the end of the village as the road by the golf course was flooded. The road undulates and there were a couple (that we could see) of flooded stretches. After watching a lorry coming through and then a 4x4 we decided that the water was too high to risk taking our little car through. Instead we turned around and took the long way back through the village and up to the main A road at Bow Street.

In Mach we had our usual lively time going through this week's homework and what we think will be the homework for half-term. It doesn't hurt to be prepared.

We were able to go to Mach as the builder had sent a message to say he wasn't coming today but should be here later in the week. (Fingers crossed.)

When we got home I had a truffle making session as I need to send some as a birthday present by the end of the week. Today it was just the middles, two kinds- one with chopped pecan nuts and one with crystallised ginger. While I now have the dipping technique mastered I'm still not quite there with the best way to get nice round middles. I tried two ways, one with two teaspoons and one using a measuring spoon to scoop out the ganache into equal blobs which I then chill before hand rolling. The teaspoon method wasn't that good and the middles look more like lumpy asteroids that have been spinning through the universe for thousands of years. The measuring spoon was better but I've written a note on the recipe to remind myself to scoop out while the ganache is still soft. Once portioned out I chill the middles before hand rolling, a messy business. I've also tried something else which if it works will be very helpful at Christmas when I like to make quite a few truffles. That is to freeze the rolled middles. If successful I can spread out that stage of the process instead of doing it all in a rush and if it doesn't and the middles go grainy or something I'm sure they will still taste nice enough for me to eat. 

Photos of some things that caught my eye on the beach yesterday.

Windy.

After all the dire storm warnings it all seems to have passed us by with just a few showers in the morning and some very strong winds in the afternoon. 

Sometimes I wonder if doing all my different classes is really helpful or if I'm causing more harm to my back. On the plus side is cardio work for my heart, brain stimulation from trying to co-ordinate/remember movements and endorphins from the sheer enjoyment from the different activities against the inevitable follow up aches and pains. But then this morning I realised that in my day to day life I'm finding it much easier to improve my posture something I find myself doing frequently. Shoulders back, ribs up, stomach in and bum tucked in and hey presto suddenly I'm taller and thinner. But that's only superficial, the important thing is being able to stand straighter which reduces the pressure on my spine and nerves which of course helps reduce the pain. So I shall carry on dancing, exercising, walking and riding and having fun.

Back to weather talk - There is a flood warning along the four miles of beach from Ynyslas to Borth when the 11.00pm high tide will be extra high at 5m.  

It was a shame that the afternoon walk was cancelled but I guess there would be the risk of fallen trees, (wow something like a branch has landed on the study roof above me). Instead I emptied out the water butt that sits at the front of the house behind the low street wall. It wouldn't drain when I turned the tap at the bottom and I suspected that it might be clogged up with sludge. I had to use an old ice-cream tub to scoop out the water and throw it down the road and then very annoyingly as I tipped the butt over to ease it through the narrow gateway I caught the tap on the gate and snapped off the top of the tap. Luckily there was another tap on one of the spare water butts that I could use. After cleaning out the water butt I put it back in place but didn't go through the tortuous business of trying to fit the hose onto the tap as the builders will need to move it to get at the wall behind.

After hanging out some washing, double pegged against the wind, I did some gardening in the back garden while Peter carried on with his revamp of his workspace in the garage.

Once that was done it was far too nice to stay home so I took myself off for a beach walk. Since the wind was blowing from the south-west it wasn't too cold. With the wind in my back it was easy heading up the beach to the first sets of rock piles but coming back was another matter. I had to put my head down and battle against the gusting wind. Thankfully I'd remembered to put on my safety glasses to protect my eyes from the wind.

Somebody else taking advantage of the windy afternoon.

Sunny.

 A blue moon?

Today has very much been the calm before the storm as we wait for Storm Ashley to blow in tomorrow. Even the Sunday walk has been cancelled though the forecast looks to be windy rather than for rain.

I don't mind about missing the walk as I'm feeling a bit rough today. It was only when I re-read the two page leaflet that I was given after my jabs last week that I found out that headache, nausea and dizziness  are all possible side effects of the covid vaccination. Not very nice but I'm sure a lot easier on the body than getting covid even in its currently reduced version. Also I had been worried that I might be reacting to some of my regular tablets or picked up a random bug from somewhere. I've been taking things a bit easier and drinking lemon and ginger tea.

Jobs done have included fitting the rainwater diverter though I did the one thing that I had been dreading and cut the hose too short. That was only because I needed to turn the water butt around as the hose wasn't flexible enough to have it in its original position. Luckily I was able to use the hose from another diverter. Then I moved the remaining plant troughs that I'd been storing in the space between the house and the street as there's a rumour that the builders may be coming to do the rendering next week. Finally I did some cutting back in the front garden before putting the empty muck bucket down in the middle of the shingle. This was not me being randomly untidy but a failed attempt to persuade myself that I don't need to buy a large textured sphere as a garden ornament. It's in Charlie's, is big and  quite expensive but I suspect I may be buying it next week.

This morning the coastguards were out practising throwing abseiling themselves over the the cliff when the sea behind was choppy. By the afternoon the waves had picked up and there were hordes of surfers out having a wonderful time.

Wet.

Last night's Super moon.

It was dry first thing this morning with just a moment of pink which correctly foretold of a rainy day. For me the showers began around midday but with a south-westerly wind it hasn't felt too cold.

For my riding lesson this morning I was on Margaret again. After riding with a crop last week this week I was allowed to have my schooling whip which I'm more used to. I had been quite happy bobbing around in a slow collected trot with Margaret nicely on the bit but now that I'm being encouraged to create more energy a gentle touch with the end of the long whip saves my poor old legs. There were only four of us and we had to ride two in one direction and two in the other. That meant that as well as doing the exercises we also had to be aware of the other horses the same as if we had been warming up before a competition. Not that I plan to do any competitions. Today we did some extension in trot and leg yielding before moving on to turn on the forehand (front legs stay on the same spot while the back ones turn the horse to face the opposite direction). Then we went on to cantering whenever we felt like it, yay, and I had improved since the last time.

On the way to town I called in at Screwfix and bought a joining piece for the drain pipe for just over £2. To be certain I got the correct size I had a short section of pipe with me. The bloke at the counter laughed when I admitted that I might possibly have cut the pipe in the wrong place.

Then it was Morrisons where at last I found some Glengettie tea which is the brand Peter prefers. They haven't had any at all for a while and last week there card was there but the shelf was bare. Needless to say I bought several boxes. Ever since we left the EU supply chains seem to be not working and it's not uncommon to see empty spaces on supermarket shelves something I never remember from before.

In town I had planned to walk to the framers to check if the replacement mount for a painting was ready but once the rain started apart from me not getting wet, no coat of course, I wasn't sure how well protected the mount would be.

At home I picked over 3lbs of tomatoes and put the frozen blackberries and more sugar in the gin. All I need to do now is stir once a week and make some fancy labels. The rest of the afternoon was spent giving my feet a nice long soak and generally resting. There's no getting away from the fact that I need to take more breaks during the day when I've been busy.

Showers.

First thing this morning it looked as if we were going to have a lovely sunny day. Then, just as I was washing the salt off the front windows down came the rain for the first of many showers.

After breakfast I used a tube of caulk, or as I like to call it - squidgy stuff, to fill in all the tiny gaps between the shelves and the battens as they they really showed up against all the white paintwork. It looks much better now. 

Then it was time for Welsh Class. Eight of us today as some people were away on holiday. It was so warm at that point that I had to open my study window.

Afterwards I did some work in the garden or rather corrected a mistake I'd made when fitting the diverter to the water butt. I'd woken up at 4.30 this morning and after musing on the fact that the butt had already filled up in a few days I then realised that my disregard of the instructions was going to lead to not quite disaster but a mess. Because the lid of the water butt already had a hole in it instead of fitting the hose to the side of the butt I fitted the connector to the lid and sited the piece that went on the drain pipe too high. That was fine for water going in but stopped the mechanism that would send the water back down the drain pipe once the butt was full. The result was that the butt filled to the top of the lid and then overflowed creating a puddle on the paving below. After emptying out some of the water I drilled out a new hole in the correct position at the side of the water butt then rain fell before I could re-position the diverter on the drain pipe.

I ended my day with an hour of cavorting around in disco aerobics.