Rainy grey day

 Some chores and a little bit of jigsaw before making my way to Dunkeld. Through the village this time as it had rained heavily in the night and was still raining so the river path was likely to be quite muddy. I went and bought a few bit from the archive shop for Darren as they don’t open over the weekend. Had a quick drink and then met up with Tina at the cathedral for another concert, this time  it was called Plaidsong and a couple telling local tales and singing some of the traditional songs. I didn’t manage to catch all of the words this time and I did adjust the hearing aids, but the singing was lovely.

Had lunch in Dunkeld with Tina as she had a meeting in the village. I walked home, still raining so plenty of water has come down today.

I took some photos of the plants, the third one is the two oak saplings given to me by William, they have taken well and one of them has new growth.

We did watch some tennis when Tina got back and then Darren arrived. Next time he comes up he won’t be going away again, which will be great. I decided to draw my oldest bonsai tree I think I have had it for about twenty years, maybe a bit more!

I am sticking with the exercises, no improvement so far and more discomfort, early days though!

Hair cut and jigsaw

 I soon gave up on the idea of finding the edges for the latest jigsaw and just started from the top! There will be plenty to have a go at if Darren decides to help out over the weekend.

I spent a fair bit of time on it today.

I did take a short walk to the war memorial. This was the due from a bench just before the top.

And one of the memorial from the same point.

There was another bench a bit higher and I did a sketch from there but I found it quite complex and busy!

I had forgotten how steep the first part of the climb was, a bit puffed on the way up, and very carefully on the way down!

We did watch a bit of tennis before we had dinner. Pandora made herself comfortable while I watched a bit of tv.

Forgot to mention I did go for a hair cut, so it looks tidier now.

Different jigsaw and a lunchtime concert

 This morning I sorted out another wooden jigsaw with mor odd shaped pieces and it is round! I had it as. Present a few years ago now so going to give it another whirl. Pandora does like to lend a helping hand!

I walked into Dunkeld again as there was one of the lunchtime concerts on, this time a fiddler and pianist. It was very good and they played a lot of Niel Gow’s music. That encouraged me to go and buy the cd that I had seen a couple of weeks ago. What was even better was that the cd is played by the couple who played at the concert.

As I walked past the dress shop I saw that the top o liked has now been reduced and the price in the window!

I watched a bit of tennis with Tina and did a sketch in the garden.

I slept quite well when I was away and the beds were softer than mine, so I ordered a topper which arrived today. Tina jilted me put it on as I find it a bit of a struggle as my über is against the wall. Fingers crossed it makes a difference.

At the moment the exercises are causing more pain but it is early days so will keep going for now,

Jigsaw and walk

This morning was taken up with doing the jigsaw, which is now finished!

It was damp this morning but it was dry this afternoon so I did go for a walk. I walked along the river path as far as the underpass at the A9. Lots of photos but I will only comment on a couple. Much greener since the last time I walked ll the way along. Instead of taking a picture of the burn from the bridge today I took the bridge itself!

Going under the bridge this time.

The ferns are everywhere now, along with the weeds!

This is a small bridge over a burn, but the view on the way back is better.

We have watched some tennis, getting clued up for Wimbledon! 

I did a sketch using one of the photos as inspiration!

Feeling very tired this evening but I have done my exercises. Was given them a couple of months ago but didn’t stick with them. So on day three nd I am going to try and do them regularly to see if they make any difference to the hip. Can’t go back complaining about it if I haven’t taken the advice!

That’s better!

 I decided to walk into Dunkeld again today and see if I could do it without being exhausted. I wanted to collect the two canvasses I bought at the cathedral fund raiser for a children’s cancer charity. I took a couple of pics on the way there.

 

I walked up to Kat and Kat the shop where the canvasses were going. The guy was just opening up and and said they hadn’t been delivered yet. I popped into a gallery of photographs and bought a couple of cards, one that I fancied trying to draw. The man from Kat and Kat followed me in and said that the canvases had been delivered yesterday. So I went back and collected my purchases.

Not sure if I will put them up, but I supported the charity.

I had a drink and then saw that the top that I liked was still in the shop window. At £98 I didn’t buy it!

I took some photos on the way back, I was on plants today although the one that just looks like the path has three baby chaffinches in it, they were flying along in and stopping again a I walked long there must have been six or seven obviously finding something good to eat.

I did a bit to the jigsaw which is very tricky!

And did the sketch based on the card I bought.

One of the two oaks that Willian gave me to bonsai has a new shoot appearing and the other one looks okay, unlike the baby Birnam!

I was pleased that I wasn’t completely exhausted after my walk today!

Busy doing nothing

 That isn’t strictly true but it has been a lazy day. My hind legs have been twinging and I felt tired, so decided not to go into .dunkeld again today. I can collect the canvasses I bought in the shop where I bought them in the week. Tina hasn’t been well but she did go into Church to take the service. I did a few household chores and tried to do the edges of the jigsaw. A lot of the pieces had seemingly straight edges but aren’t edge pieces so that adds to the fun.

I did go out and did some weeding and tidied the garden but not for that long. Looks reasonably tidy now.

I sat down with a puzzle book and the cat joined me, she settled and I nodded off over my puzzle.

Tina had a rest and then wanted to go shopping as she hadn’t been out much for the last week. We set off for Perth and got stuck in the traffic going up to a roundabout near the shops. 

We had dinner and I have watered some of the plants in the garden. I did check all the indoor plants this morning and they are doing okay.

Resting now, without the cat at the moment

Unpacking and walk into Dunkeld

 This morning I unpacked and got the washing ready for later. I went out and had a look round the garden, the weeds haven’t grown as much as I had imagined they would. The lovely fir tree in a pot has lots of new growth.

I put four lupins in earlier in the year. One is now in bloom, one has a bud and the other two look like they have given up!

The bonsai trees are doing well.

And two sticks have growth.

Tina’s brother and his wife called in on their way further north which was nice. We had been going to go to the cathedral to see the canvasses but Tina hasn’t been well this week and is still not right so I went on my own. I went along the river path and it wasn’t too muddy. The ferns and wild flowers have grown and it is very green.

I did go and see the canvasses, they put a red spot on ones that had already been sold, one of mine had been sold which is good. I bought two and will post them when I collect them. They will be on display tomorrow so plenty of time for more to be bought. Then I went into The Clootie Dumpling and had some Clootie dumping and a pot of tea. I loved the tea timer!

Lots of cream with that pudding.

I had a wander in the town and got some sausage rolls for our tea.  I was feeling really tired and my hip then knee had been painful so I took advantage of benches on the way back! This flower was in a bed in the town and I loved that it looked like stars.

While the washing was on I started the wooden jigsaw. Only 250pieces but it will be very tricky. There are lots of bits that look straight edged but aren’t and then there are the peculiar shapes, let alone the sameness of the picture!

Still feeling quite weary but travelling is tiring.