OneGuyFromBarlick

It is a lovely morning, but I shall be spending it in the tiny, windowless back office of a shop in Skipton, struggling with bank reconciliations. Typical!

Some photos from our early morning walk around the fields. (More like a paddle at the moment!) I love the Harden side of Kelbrook Moor, especially at this time of year when the colours are changing.

Oh Bless...something grabs my heart every time I see "the boys".
I wonder what they chat about....
( and don't they have magnificent tails?)

I love them too.....those are very dirty tails that could do with a wash and a trim!

A pic of Dennis and Sparky always cheers me up! They are a credit to you Wendy. Is that heavy dew or a grass frost?

Just a heavy dew Stanley.
Library morning, then hopefully more tidying up in the garden this afternoon.

The "tin lids" are due back from their 11day driving trip today. Shoul be here in a couple of hours and we have one excited dog!
She wil knock them down with her welcome I think. Somehow she senses them coming back, but it could be because I've been doing extra prep for evening meal.
They will stay the night and take her home to the city tomorrow.
I've enjoyed having her, but I do feel a bit tired, and it will be nice not to have to Hoover every morning.

And you will miss her when she's not there! Amazing how they read our body language and know when there is a change in the routine.....
I shall be going forward quietly with the engine. All important decisions and they all have to be right! Good brain gym exercise....

I had to have my dog put down in July after nearly 12 years in the family. I still can't get used to not having that totally unreserved welcome when I get in from work at night.

They always used to say 'lock your wife and dog up in the garage for 4 hours' and see which one is pleased to see you when you open up.

"All important decisions and they all have to be right!" I don't often quote myself but boy, did that one turn round and bite me!
I've been there Bill a few times. It's the price you pay for unconditional love and is a bereavement. I've never heard P's description before but it's absolutely right!
Today is always a busy day and I could be having a visitor as well but any time I have in the shed will be spent rectifying my mistake. Have a look at shed matters and have a laugh at me!

I'm making a good job of retrieving my error and will be slowly pursuing a good crosshead today. Where would I be without my shed?

Going to Coventry to see the grandchildren for the day

Getting our little motor home ready for another run. Cleaned and flushed and refilled the water tank and drinking filter today, checked the tyres and filled with fuel.
A few days yet before we leave...

Lovely! I like motor homes..... I hope it all goes well for you Maz.
I shall be quietly getting on with fitting my engine to its bed. First time I have done one this way and it's looking OK.

Going quietly forwards with the engine. I like the way it looks, it struck me this morning as I passed it on the way out for our walk that it 'looks right'. Always a good and reliable sign!

A week in Brittany has started with a very wet night.hope it is a bit drier or the garden tidying will become a muddy mess

You can always go sewing for the day Sue. It's always bright and sunny in the shed.
I'm looking forwards to visitors this morning, Susan and Mick are coming to see me and I will get up to date with where we are on matters like probate. It drags on and on.........

Most of the flower borders are cleared and despite a weather forecast of dry, cloudy and late sun it rained on me all day. Today I shall cut back the lavender( well Bob will with the hedge trimmer) , and the southern wood ( ladslove) which is the size of a fairly large bush!

A few more roses to prune and then I shall tackle the veggie garden. We had more tomatoes and courgettes which I roasted and then made tomato and courgette soup . The sprouts and leeks are growing well, I even had some runner beans but most are very large and stringy. I am excited about looking at my sweet potatoes, I have never grown them before. I have a lot more chillies and tomatillos to pick before I pull up the plants.my corn had gone mouldy but I did most of the picking and freezing in August My chard is now the size to eat. We had some last night it was lovely. That and the leeks and sprouts will see us through to next April when ever we come over, usually three trips between now and then.

I love sprouts..... They have come back in the shops here now and I am overdosing on them!
I neglected to defend my Ladslove from the mint this year. It has survived OK but only half the size it reached last year. I shall look after it better next year!
I shall be cleaning my cylinder base up after soldering it together yesterday. I will then know just how good a job I did!
One task has cropped up and I may have to spend time on it today. The solicitors need documentation from me on a variety of matters in order to progress the probate. Good job I keep everything! These people love paperwork.....

Oh Stanley I know the feeling, in selling the cottage questions and paperwork have been going backwards and forwards for weeks. We are on the home straight, we signed the contract last Friday.

Well yesterday was a warm misty day until 4 when the sun finally broke through. Too late to dry the washing but Bob got the lawn cut. The garden is now pruned, cleared and weeded. One and a half veggie plots done, with one covered for the winter. It is another very misty morning and with no wind likely to be the same. We are invited to our neighbours at three for coffee and cake. Just rewards for our hard work.

Rain forecast this evening and tomorrow so I feel some door painting coming on. The loo door downstairs never quite recovered from grandchildren creative art work. On paper that was but transferred by hands seeking a wash basin

Re. solicitors.... I feel for you! I got all mine done and mailed off to Susan who is an executor of Janet's UK will. Now we wait and see again!
From the sound of the Shipping forecast there are some changes afoot in the weather.
I shall be in the shed, My cylinder is ready for mounting on the bed.

One small patch of garden not one square metre defeated me yesterday. It had been the potato patch but was solid weeds. I shall try again tomorrow when I am less tired, then just the strawberry patch to titivate and add manure to. We can buy dried manure at the supermarket.

Today is a trip to the local market, lunch out and then a visit to see an English friend. Not sure what the weather holds. Brittany seems to have got stuck in a system that does not match the forecast, I think it is because there is no wind and thus no air movement. Cloudy at the moment but no mist for the first time this week

I think it's that big Scandinavian high pressure system that's blocking all the Atlantic weather Sue. That's certainly the case here. A quite extraordinary spell of settled weather.....
Shopping day but I shall make sure I get a crack at the engine.....