Great sky season is here I am afraid, although I know I have some real fans of sky and clouds so that is good!

This morning Darren kindly took me into town so that I could go and use the pool at the hotel. Open today and I had over half an hour in there on my own, like a private pool, fabulous! The changing rooms are a bit of a mess with broken toilet and leaking shower, but the pool itself is great.

It is done out like caves and is really quite stunning. The pool is warm and ideal for me to do me 'water walking'. Took a picture of the south bay before I made my way to the studio.

Had a nice time with Sandy, didn't clean the pots today but did quite a bit of painting. Another bowl for my set, this time I decided on yellow and black.

The girls have a sale on at the moment of the special, one off, bisque pieces they have. There was a pretty fairy on a toadstool (or mushroom) that someone had started painting but had done the skin in what would probably turn out to be orange. Also they hadn't kept to the shape, but I know from experience that they are hard to paint.

I painted white over the skin and left it to dry for a bit while I got on with the trinket box, as the top had been biscuit fired.

I then painted the fairy's hair and wings, it really is a very pretty piece.

Probably a couple of years ago now I painted a one off jug as a sample for the studio. They have too much stuff on display now and lots of stock still to be unpacked so they had a chat together and as neither of them wanted it they gave it to me. I can see a foliage plant in it so happily took it off their hands!

Anya bought me a truffle kit from Italy so tonight I have made up the recipe that came with it. Quite tasty but I will look up some others

Nice cloudy sky tonight, and look closely, that seagull is still there!

One sky picture, it is so bright now in my room that I have the blind down so don't see as much of it!

Today has been very hot and very sticky, I know, we fair skinned people are never happy! I got washing out on the line and made sure the cats were okay as Darren had gone off to work early. Watered the trees outside and the houseplants inside. The flowers that Sandy got me last Tuesday still look lovely, I did water them well before I went away, and the lilies are opening now.

A couple of quite nice shots of Blue, think that was when I was getting the washing in.

I went down to the surgery, the doctor was not sick today so I have had the injection in my knee. It will take a couple of days to see if it makes a difference I should think, I have an appointment for physio as well next month, so hopefully I can keep going for a few months before surgery. He die examine my ankle as it is still swollen and painful but he didn't think it was anything to worry about so I will just have to wait for it to finish healing!
Sandy had been in touch early to see if I wanted to meet up, so we had lunch at Irton Garden Centre, we sat outside, we managed to find a table where she could sun worship and I could be in some shade! I didn't buy any plants, in fact I wasn't going to buy anything, but this little otter, that can be hung on a wall or fence was half price just because it didn't have a box. No damage whatsoever. £4.99 and seriously cute, it is about 8 inches across.

We shopped in Lidl, Anya has brought me some truffle oils from Italy, complete with a pasta recipe, so I got some bits so that I can try it out tomorrow.
I haven't been very energetic this afternoon, I caught up with Redwater, very dark, it finishes this week.
Tried to take a picture of a little spider in the garden when I went down to check on the cats a while ago.

I had been worried that Charlie had left home as he was out last night and I didn't see him until 4pm. but Darren called in briefly after work and said that he had seen him this morning.

Yesterday evening my throat began to feel sore, and by the time I was in bed I was struggling not to cough all night! I think it is a flare up of catarrh as I now keep having quite scary coughing/choking fits. I was up at 6 am and as I was sleeping downstairs I could see the garden. You will have to look closely, but this little goldfinch came quite close to the house, and Rachel doesn't have bird food out. I used to get them once but bought niger seeds to attract them.

They had this very pretty blue flower in the garden.

And this shadow across this white flower made for quite a funky shot!

I had been going to visit a 96 year old friend this morning, but decided against it just in case I was infectious. she had quadruple bypass surgery in her eighties and has very poorly legs, so I would really not want to be responsible for making her poorly. Rachel took me to a supermarket so that I could stock up on cough and cold cures and we had a bit of lunch out. We didn't have too long indoors before it was time for them to drop me off at the station. Said my goodbyes, including Cookie, who really doesn't like having her photo taken! She is a cute little lady though.

Skip drove so I had them both come with me to the station. I was there in good time and the train was just a couple of minutes late. Sadly I was by a window and the sun was beating down on me for the hour and twenty minutes, so I have to admit I was sweating in a most unladylike way! I wasn't in direct sunlight on the second train which was  a relief. Darren was waiting for me at the station and stopped outside a shop so that I could get some fresh milk.
I thought I would take a photo of the great little weighing scales I got, a real bargain and just what I wanted.

Darren went to the boot sale this morning and got me a great jigsaw puzzle, it reminds me of the start of the 70's series of Sherlock Holmes. The right size to fit on my little table too.

I have had a Lemsip since I got home and will have another one before I go to bed. What with the heat and the cough I don't think a good night is likely!!

It has been a very good day, and also very hot! Skip kindly took me up to Morrison's where I was meeting Angie. It is walkable but my ankle is still sort so the lift was very much appreciated. Angie and I had breakfast and spent over an hour catching up on each others news. Then Anya and Isobel arrived and we spent the rest of the day together. Isobel is still going to swimming lessons and is in the second group in the main pool now. We went to M & S for lunch and Isobel started going through all the cards I had collected for her and putting them into the album.

Then we went off to the Key Theatre, there was a film showing of a live production of Peter Pan by the National Theatre. It was three hours long but there was an interval. It was really good and the way it was screened made it seem like you were watching an actual performance and not a film of one. Hook was female and Tinker Bell was a man, as was Nana the dog! So some twists and both funny and very entertaining. A couple of pictures of a very grown up Isobel at the theatre.

One more shot of her outside before we went off to collect Louis and go out for some dinner.

We picked Louis up and went to Ibrahimi's for dinner, still no trifle, but a very nice meal anyway. Then I went back to their place for a bit, Isobel got more cards put into the album, There isn't a page without at least one card, and she has a lot of swaps now and she has a friend at school who collects them so hopefully she will be able to fill a few more gaps. The cards aren't available anymore now. I looked through the holiday photos with Anya, sounds and looks like they had a good trip to Rome, Isobel's first time abroad and on a plane, which she really enjoyed.
Was back here about 8 pm and we watched Casualty, tissues needed for tonight's episode!
Going back to Scarborough tomorrow and apart from visiting the elderly lady I have know for years, will just relax with Rachel and the family. It is supposed to be even hotter tomorrow, so not great weather for making a journey, but I am sure I will survive. The ankle is still giving me trouble, but not quite so bad today, and haven't done a great deal of walking.

This morning Rachel dropped me off in town and I had a bit of time before catching the bus to Orton so I went for a look in Beals store. I got a great little set of calorie counting scales, very compact, and idea for weighing small amounts. They were reduced to £3.30 so didn't break the bank either, and I also got 6 teaspoons for £1! They let me on a but just before 9.30 am with the bus pass so I was out in Orton in good time. Walking under this underpass I don't remember it actually having a name plate before. Sadly the painting is now covered with graffiti.

Near Margherita's house there are the bushes that attract the spiders that make fine webs across the leaves. You never see any of the spiders, just evidence of their work.

Had a good game of Scrabble with Margherita and natter as well, I won by about 8 points, but we are usually pretty close in the scoring. Walking back to the bus I saw that these flats now have railings. Not sure if that is to stop people throwing stuff at them or residents chucking stuff out. When I worked at the hostel for the homeless we did house people there and it was a pretty rough area then. Seems to have had a lot of development now.

I caught the bus into town and met up with Mike. We had lunch at the Noodle place which I know he has been meaning to try for a long time. We had a cup of tea sitting in the square at the city centre and then walked up to the park. It was the turn of my ankle today to be very painful indeed, making me limp on occasions, if it isn't one thing it is the other and I have to admit to being a bit fed up with the constant pain and restriction on my movement. A couple of trees had been given crocheted scarves in the park, that was different.

We sat in the park for a bit and I took a picture of the great willow tree in the centre. Mike said that there had been plans to cut it down and replace it with a band stand but they had so many objections that the decided to leave it be.

We called in at Mike's flat for a bit and then we walked up to Ibrahimi's where we had the usual very nice meal, although they had got an ice cream cabinet in but didn't have trifle on the menu. Very disappointing as they have the best trifle ever! The place had a new extension and is much larger, the staff and atmosphere great as usual. On the way there we passed this sign outside a pub, the other side said 'No horses in the car park'. I can only presume it is trotting season!

Rachel kindly came and picked me up after we had eaten. I had a shower then watched tv with the family and Rachel made an ice pack for my ankle which was, and is quite swollen, but it made it feel a lot better.

Yesterday evening the clouds were great before sunset time, in fact the sunset wasn't great with the cloud cover.

This morning I tidied up, emptied bins etc and got the case packed for the trip to Peterborough. Went outside and watered the bonsai trees and other plants again as no rain is forecast before I get back. Also watered all the indoor plants and even cleaned some leaves! Darren drove me to the station and waited with me to see me onto the first train. A good journey with plenty of time for the change over. I usually travel in the morning but setting off in the afternoon is far less stressful and the trains weren't too busy either.
Rachel got to the car park about the same time as me as it is quite a hike from getting off the train to arriving outside. We have had a lovely evening, plenty of chatting and a very nice meal and we all enjoyed The Real Full Monty.
Skip took a picture of me with Rachel out in the garden, Rachel has approved it for blog entry!

Seeing Margherita and Rose in the morning tomorrow and catching up with Mike in the afternoon.

I am so going to miss being able to see amazing sunsets without moving away from my living room!

This morning I was up pretty early so got a load of washing done and out on the line before I caught the bus into town to get my hair coloured and cut. Jodie added a little more pink this time and when it was on the cap it looked really bright, but it is actually not a lot different to last time, maybe a slightly pinker tinge, but think I will revert to just the pale blonde highlights next time.
I had arranged to meet Darren at Sainsbury's, we had a bit of lunch and he got what he needed in for when Tina and I have both gone away and left him to his own devices.
I have been looking at the front garden getting wilder by the day since all the rain, so got myself out there for a while this afternoon as I didn't want to go away leaving it so overgrown.

A big bee was enjoying the foxgloves which really made my afternoon.

I spent about an hour and a half out the front, that included cutting back the plant that was overhanging the pavement. It does look tidier, but Tina and I both think the dandelion lawn needs to come up and maybe be replaced by artificial stuff.

I made a macaroni cheese with bacon bake this evening, Tina had been going to leave before she had tea, but as she was running a bit late she and Darren both had some and there is one helping in the freezer for another day.
Need to start getting sorted for my trip to Peterborough tomorrow, some ironing first I think!