Darren and Tina got home after 10 pm last night and they had a very good holiday. They hunted out their official pictures from the cruise on the Queen Mary 2. Looking very glamorous.

I took photos of their pictures, so not as clear as theirs, but you can get the idea. They had colour and black and white copies so will post the individuals in monochrome. I think Darren should be lined up as the next Bond!

This morning I stayed in as I had a delivery coming today. Tina came in at lunchtime and we went Sainsbury's to have some lunch and get a bit of shopping. My delivery came mid afternoon so I decided to go for a short walk and post a couple of letters on the way. I saw lots of geese, I do love the Canada geese, took a few pics again but will just post this rather elegant looking specimen!

I love the way that hydrangeas change colour and have varying shades on the same plant.

Passed these bushes with berries on the way to the beach.

I decided to paddle in the sea today as it was quite calm. So we have had footprints in the sand, hoof prints in the sand and now bare feet in the sea!

I took this picture of a seagull on a rock out at sea.

After that I spotted a bird that definitely wasn't a seagull but a heron. This picture wasn't the best but a lot of gulls in the background.

Managed to get one better close up of the heron.

Then one more, not so clear, but it was on the move.

I decided to go for and early walk through the park and into the glen. I had cut up some spare bread for the ducks and last week got peanuts in shells for when I went there to see if the squirrels were about. The pigeons were very quiet, maybe because it was early, so I did get to give nuts to a few squirrels. They were very cute.

That one ate his peanut but some went off to bury them. I have no idea how they ever find them again!

Let's have another cute autumn squirrel picture!

The glen was lovely as usual and very tranquil and quiet so early.

As I walked back through the park the seagulls were flying about, I won't tell you how many snaps I took trying to catch on over the lake!

Now a bit of a mystery, I saw these markings in two or three places, a bit like crop circles on the concrete!! Any ideas why they are there? Presumably something has been stood there but they were in twos each time.

Last night I did a lot of pruning in the back garden, quite a pile of trimmings to get moved to the garden waste bin, I will get Darren to fetch it up the steps for me when he is home.

The trimmings are the pile of stuff that looks like a bush! This afternoon I have made sure the house is ready for Darren and Tina's return, although I have heard from them now and it is likely to be quite late, around 10 pm. I also made some cakes, got the bedding from the bed downstairs I have been using washed and dried outside. I have just been out and mowed the back lawn so everything is pretty much ship shape, I have Colonel on my right now, he will be happy to see them home, and I will be happy to be in my own bed without him!!

I decided to take the trolley and walk to Sainsbury's today. I usually take bags and then get a taxi home, but I didn't have a huge amount to buy so I decided to take the trolley and walk back as well. I haven't walked up Victoria Road for a while so walked up Mill Lane and took a picture of the windmill as I was passing. It is a B & B now and Brian and Hazel stayed in a very nice apartment there last year,

Going past this shop in the car always makes me smile because of the signs. Does anyone want a new or used baby always comes to mind!! Yes, silly I know, I have a silly mind!

I am not yet as fit as I was because by the time I had pulled the trolley and shopping home I was pretty shattered. So ended up, you will be surprised to hear, with Colonel on my lap for a change! We will both be pleased to see Darren and Tina back tomorrow.

I have done some ironing this afternoon and a bit of mending, but nothing else planned. I enjoyed Strictly last night and am looking forward to the results show. Great to see Anton top of the leader board!

Very windy, grey and cold out today. I had cooking planned for later in the day so went out quite early for a walk in the park. As I went in this made a pretty autumn picture with the leaves on the ground as well. It occurred to me that the trees would soon be in winter dress as the wind would bring the leaves down early!

The sun came out briefly after that so the park looked bright then.

I was delighted when the gates were open so that I could go across to the island and then climb up to the Oriental garden.

I love it up there, the gate is often closed so when it is open I like to get over there. This picture of the pagoda with a lovely tree in front of it.

I was fascinated by these mini apples last year, I find them just as delightful this year!

Two days now until Darren and Tina get home, so I decided to do some cooking for the freezer this afternoon. Quite enjoyed it, haven't really done any proper cooking in a while now. I have also done some crochet, following a new pattern, and I have definitely got it slightly wrong, so am going to start again as the pattern is for a beret for me. The sun has come through enough to make the sky pretty this evening.

Grey wintry rather than autumnal day today, really chilly and windy too. I went to town as I wanted to collect some tickets from the train station and to buy a new crochet hook (no, I haven't lost another one, just needed a different size for another pattern.) I walked out to the Spa bridge so that I could look at the south bay. Really grey and rough.

Took a selfie as I was wearing my favourite hat, and I made this one. Haven't made many things for myself that I really like.

A shot of the south bay.

I bought a couple of dvds at a charity shop, the film 'Guess who's coming to dinner' and a Dara O'Brian live. I walked back home via the north bay cliff so that I could see how that was looking today.

This afternoon I watched the film whilst nursing the cat, really enjoyed it. Then I got the sewing machine out to make up a little dog kit which came with a magazine I ordered.

I have had a pretty quiet day today. Last night I was doing some crochet and when I stopped to sew some ends in I dropped the hook. That hook has disappeared!! I was on my knees, armed with the torch to look under the settee. The floor is carpeted and I didn't go out of the room, but even this morning in daylight I still cannot find it! I needed to go to town so a crochet hook the same size was added to the list! I had to return some moisturisers to Debenhams, Georgia, who knows me well, said to try this new product, but it wasn't right for me, she was in today and I got them changed okay. cutting back through a different road on the way home I took a picture of the castle from a different direction. It was still quite overcast then, the skies brightened for a bit but it is overcast again now.

It was Cake and Crochet afternoon at Sandra's shop this afternoon. I was the only person that turned up but we had a good natter, and as I had bought a new crochet hook I did a couple more rows of the knee quilt.

Nice bright replacement crochet hook, hopefully I won't lose this one!

Will start with a sky, just for a change. They do keep being gorgeous and I cannot resist them.

This morning I did housework and generally pottered around until early afternoon. I went up to the studio and had a chat with Donna and also collected my plate. the plants don't show as well as they might have, so it is very subtle. I like the way I did the colour with a large brush as wanted it to look more casual as I have painted a few quite intricate pieces lately.

I walked back via the cliff top, the sea was very foamy today, always a different picture to take.

Took one of the castle as well.

Before I went away I put all the bonsai trees into trays. I wanted to them back onto their trays and onto the display unit, they would possibly have frozen in the winter if left in the trays and that would not have done them a lot of good!