A quick entry today as it has been very hot again but a lovely day. I met my friend Angie for breakfast and we had a good natter and catch up. Anya collected  me before 10 am and we went off for Isobel's swimming lesson. She did really well today and swam for the first time with no armbands or float, so really coming along now. Took a lovely picture of her outside the pol.

We went over to the play park, as Isobel and I always went there after we had been to the pool.

After that we went to Garden Park and had some lunch and I went to have a chat with Jess at the ceramic studio there. Then we went to a little craft fair in Werrington village. It was hot but we headed of to Bretton carvival, very busy and very hot! Isobel won first prize in a tombola which went down well!

We went out for dinner and then this evening Anya and I went to my sisters to have a very enjoyable game of Scrabble which Anya won. A really good day.

I have had a long, hot and very tiring day, started my blog and for the first time ever managed to lose it when I was well on the way with it! So will now write a shortened version and maybe add more pictures when I get home! I left here early and caught the bus to the bus station and walked over to the train station. When I got to London I took the underground to Charing Cross, just one change so not too bad. As I walked  along the National Gallery looked attractive.

And St Martin's in the Field is nearby.

There were performers on the edge of Trafalgar Square.

I got my ticket for the Audrey Hepburn exhibition but couldn't get in for a few hours so I went and had lunch in the crypt cafe under St Martin's in the Field and sat in Trafalgar Square for a while, some reading and even did a sketch!

The exhibition of photos of Audrey was fabulous, worth the effort, and I bought a book with the pictures in and a bag with a Hepburn quote on it. It was very hot in London and loads of walking and too many stairs, so off for a cool bath before bed!!

Last night I went to the craft shop for a craft evening, the first one since the ceiling collapsed many weeks ago. We covered flat, rolling pin shaped hanging decorations. We cut strips of paper and glued them on then added pegs with buttons on.

This morning I was up and about early making sure I was ready for my journey to Peterborough. Tina gave me a lift to the station on her way to Hull. The first train came to a halt after Malton and sat! The electrics had failed on the train and they were not sure if it would be able to continue or return to Scarborough. After about twenty minutes the train continued the journey but it meant I missed my connection by three minutes! But the next available train wasn't too much later and I was only about twenty minutes late getting into Peterborough. Mike collected me at the station and dropped me off in Eye so that I could spend some time with Ruby and Emmie the ninety odd year old ladies I used to go and see regularly. I had lunch downstairs with Emmie and then went and spent a time with Ruby. She broke her hip a couple of months ago and is not going down to the dining room at the moment. Considering her 95 years and the fact that she is in quite a lot of pain, she looked pretty much as glamorous as she always did.

Mike collected me from there at about 5 pm and we went to Ibrahimi's and had a nice meal before he bought me to the hotel. There is a fan in the room which is good as it is pretty sticky! I am off to London tomorrow to see the Audrey Hepburn photo exhibition at the Portrait Gallery.

Last night I took a walk to the park and then the beach just after 9 pm. The park was fairly quiet but not particularly different pictures to be taken. As I approached the beach the pink tinged sky and the moon was attractive over the hotels.

I don't usually go down to the front so late, the seagulls were enjoying the quiet and looking for food after the ebbing tide.

The sunset over the wet sand was lovely.

This picture is of footprints in the sand, just not the usual ones!

The other day Sandra in the craft shop and I were talking about the possibility of me running a button class at her shop, maybe in the autumn. I sent for some buttons on Ebay just in case it actually happens. they are pretty and were a good price.

Yesterday I closed the table down and the centre wasn't as wide as I had thought, so I managed to drop the two bee coasters that I had painted! One broke, I have stuck it together but it is not quite as attractive now!!

Yesterday evening I made a flask and took a book to sit in the park for a bit. I had hoped it would be a good sunset and I could take pictures reflected in the water. It wasn't a great sunset but the water was so still I got some great pictures anyway!

This morning Tina dropped me off at the hospital as I had to have a chest xray. I had to hang around a bit but they were very busy. I had a while to wait for the bus so had a wander around outside. There was a bush that had pretty flowers and was very popular with the bees!

I took lots of photos of bees, pretty much all out of focus. this one wasn't too bad and on a different plant, you may have to look closely!

Back in town the pond near the station looked lovely in the sunlight and the water lilies are beginning to open.

I called in at the studio and painted the last few pottery shapes that we are going to write names on at the church summer fete.

Watching Andy Murray play tennis now!

This morning I went swimming again, found out that the membership runs out on August 6th. I didn't move here until August 1st so was amazed at how quickly I signed up. Haven't been using it for months so am going to try an keep doing now. I walked down to the front after my swim and passed this massive plant of yellow daisies.

In the park this swan went gliding by at quite a pace.

I pottered about indoors for a bit and then went off to the community centre. I went early as I needed to do a bit of sorting out there as well. I wish I had never taken the paper flowers that I had been given there to show them, as they are pretty difficult and they all want to have a go!! Diane has been working on a starfish in little pearl beads, I think she is planning to add more on top for a 3D effect.

Linda painted a nice effect on her canvas and this time is not going to fill in the gaps with seed beads.

I have heard a lot about the seagulls being scavengers but on the way home I actually saw this gull trying to eat something from one of the litter bins!

Yesterday evening Darren didn't get home until gone 6 pm, we had thought about going to Sainsbury's to eat, but the parking on the street was ridiculous so we walked down to a local cafe instead. It was a lovely evening so we went for a stroll in the park afterwards. The island was open and Darren hadn't been on there before, he really liked it as there are some unusual trees and it is so attractively laid out.

He was quite good humoured about me taking his picture - well, he is used to me and the camera! The view from the pagoda looking across the waterfall was nice in the evening sunlight.

We walked round the island passing the bottom of the waterfall. The ducks by the little windmill looked cute.

This morning I stayed in doing boring sorting through boxes and drawers, I have some stuff to take too the charity shop and some for the community base. I decided to go to the pool and see what it is like on a Sunday lunch time. Still lane swimming, but less people so a bit better than Friday, although I will never really enjoy going to the place, but will try and swim a bit more regularly again. I walked down to have a look at the sea after, there were some people learning surf boarding.

Then I went into the park and a band from Pickering were playing, so I had a cup or tea and watched them for a bit.

I have a second hand Wii her to see if I want to buy it. No box or instructions so Darren came up to help me set it up. We eventually got it going and I have tried a few things, very badly, but it is fun!