Jab and dam!

 I checked the trees and plants before going to catch the train to Pitlochry. One of the bonsais is looking autumnal and the sunflowers in the pot were laying on their sides. So I picked them up and have tried to tie them to a bolt in the wall. They are forming flowers now.

At Pitlochry I had to go over the foot bridge, not a bad view from there.

The ticket inspector on the train didn’t reach me and I was going to buy my ticket on board. There were no ticket machines so could have just made my way into the town but I went into the ticket off to buy my return ticket. The nice gentlemen asked if I was going back today and then printed me a single ticket home. Perhaps he was surprised at someone going in to pay for the ride they had just had, but I wasn’t arguing. I was well early for my RSV jab so had a drink and went in quite a few shops. Took this picture on the way to the  community hospital.

I didn’t have to wait long before getting the jab, but took a picture of the lovely wall hanging while I waited.

On the way to the hospital I saw a sign to say there was no vehicle chess to the dam, but I wondered if it was a short enough walk. I asked a couple of local people and they said I could walk there. Took a lot of pic and a beautiful day for it. I did check with several people en route as there were no signs to follow. After I had been going for a while a couple told me it was about another fifteen minutes walk. Probably a bit more at my speed!

Loved this bridge, it di move when people were walking over it.

I walked down the road from there and once round a corner the dam came into sight.

It was interesting being the side where the fish ladder is.

I made my was across the dam to the visitors centre, the small building at the top of that picture.

I had a sandwich and cuppa in the visitors centre and had to buy this tea cloth, it makes me smile.

I walked back the way I came and resisted more dam pictures. I passed the very impressive theatre.

As I neared the hospital I noticed two signs to the information centre, one was a river walk. Very pretty views.

As the trees cleared I realised it wasn’t the visitors centre in the town,, I had walked back to the dam! The climb to get back to the cafe I had eaten at was very challenging for me. I took photos of two lots of steps, but there were a couple more after that!

I was back at the dam and had to walk up quite a steep hill to get back to the town. By the time I was back at the station I was pretty tired and very achy. This artwork wascon the platform!

I flopped for a while when I got home.pandora was glad of a lap.

I have done some jigsaw but nothing strenuous.

Bit of a mixture

 This morning I pulled out some drawers from my bedroom chest of drawers that had stuff in, toiletries, stationery, and small boxes of stuff packed when we were moving. The intention was to reduce the ‘stuff’ drawers to two so that I had somewhere for towels etc. That is ongoing but think I will be able to do it.

I went outside to pot some plants I carried home from the garden group yesterday, some London pride and some tall grass. I didn’t have a lot of compost left and nor did I have a pot pig enough for the grass. I did pot the London pride.

I bought some wide, waterproof trainers a while ago but cannot manage to do laces now so Tina suggested getting elastic laces. They came yesterday, I threaded them okay but could not work out the knot thing as an ordinary bow doesn’t hold. Tina did one ant tried to show me but try as I might I could not do it, very frustrating, Darren did the second one!

As I needed more pots and compost I suggested we go out, have dinner and got the stuff I need as it meant a trip to Perth. B&Q first, got pots nd some seed trays.

We had lunch at Dobbies and then had a look around. There were some very sorry looking Chinese lanterns but no reduced. There was nobody around but I I saw a member of staff near the checkout and asked her about them. She walked back through the store with me and said I could have one for half price. She told me to tell the lady at the checkout that Pat said I could have it for half price, and did!

We did cal in at a discount shop before coming home. I did a sketch of the rescued Chinese lantern before going out into the garden.

Tina had bought a cheap picture frame to see if it would be suitable fore something she was doing, she needs a different size so she gave it to me. I popped one of my sketches in it.

I went out to pot the plants, I couldn’t push the holes through in the big pot so ended up emptying a pot I had to put the grass in. I will need a drill for the new pot!

Potted the Chinese lantern as well. It was the best one there.

I ordered a second hand book about making bee houses, it came today and in perfect condition.

I needed some milk so went round to the shop. Looks like rain might be in the offing, although it looks brighter out now.

I have made my hip more painful than usual doing exercises to make it more flexible!!

Off to Pitlochry tomorrow to have a jab at the cottage hospital.

Garden group and embroidery

 Group day today, I walked into Dunkeld long the river path today as I left in good time. More fungi lodging in a tree.

However many times I go up these steps to the bridge, the thought of them still makes me bit anxious!

I did tidying along the walkway and then swept up the leaves around all the benches and removed some weeds form the pavers. It rained briefly when we stopped for a drink but it was dry when I walked home. The bending had made my hip sore so I was undecided to whether I would go back into Dunkeld for the knit and natter group. Tina had lunch waiting when I got home which was great. After a rest I got changed and did make my way back to Dunkeld but via the arts centre where I managed to book the last place on a life drawing class on Saturday. It will not have a tutor and I will take my easel and a board as there will be a limited number of them.

The afternoon group was fine, everybody else just knit or come for the cuppa and chat so my embroidery has got them interested which is nice. I have never used the stitch before but I like the effect as do the other ladies. I had walked in through the village but as I could take my time walked back along the river paths again.

I think the hip has hd enough exercise today so m doing a bit more to the slow growing embroidery.

Wardrobe changing time

 This morning I decided it was time to drag the case out and get some cold weather clothes out and pack some summer stuff away. My drawers are bursting at the seams as I have too many clothes for the limited space that I have. So as well as moving stuff around I moved some into a black bag for the charity shop! I put the washer on again as some bits needed a freshen up. We had thought of going to the boot sale but it rained most of the morning. I took a photo from the back door for a change.

That hydrangea is lovely, we need to trim it back well when it has finished flowering.

After lunch I walked into Dunkeld, it had stopped raining and there was a craft fair at the Duchess Anne. I felt very weary out walking today, I have had a bit f a throat and a headache, so maybe a  bit under the weather. I also found out that my expensive raincoat is too tight in the sleeves even with just a light sweat shirt. I went into the craft fair, but very few stalls and not many customers!

The mist was still hanging around on the way back.

Seeing the mist in the hills is one of my favourite sights.

I got Sunday dinner early as Tina had an evening service. Feet up now and probably a bit of embroidery.

Great talk and workshop

 A fairly quiet morning, a load of washing, bit of jigsaw, wrote a letter and did a sketch. That was y plan when I picked up the lovely cones yesterday. Like a challenge!

We had an early lunch as we needed to be at the Loch of the Lowes by 12.30 pm.we listened to a fascinating talk about bees, he was a brilliant speaker and rested behaviours to our own, he was funny too. I bought some seeds and a book, and nave ordered one on making bee houses published by Haynes! Also go an identification sheet.

We had a drink before doing the workshop and watched this pheasant waiting for the seed to drop.

The we had a go at making a willow fat ball holder.

Very therapeutic to do, we both really enjoyed it.

We have had the family call and dinner, now a restful evening and maybe some embroidery!