Making the most of a dry day

 Phew, that's been a busy week. We had a lovely time with my cousin and her  husband visited us on Tuesday,  but I've been sleeping badly and setting my alarm all week as I was expecting the Plumber to come - yes, the one who isn't good at communication, so I didn't know when to expect him, especially as he said he would be here Monday or Tuesday first thing - then no show. I was relying on him to replace the water filter, and then change the UV water bulb. (Can't do the former job as not strong enough to turn the stop cock off or on).  I made sure I had a couple of the water filters in, but was convinced that the glass UV water bulb I could see on top of the cupboard was the new one we bought as a spare last year.  Imagine my horror when the Plumber turned up on Thursday morning, fitted it (oh dear, I had to look away, hairy bums NOT a good view before breakfast - or any time of day come to that!) and then the system wasn't working!  I had to pay him his £40 and say goodbye with the knowledge that we were now stuck with the very job I was desperate to avoid.  Keith and I had a big falling out after he said he thought I knew that he and Tam had changed the bulb last year.  If I had remembered that, surely I would have bought a new one when I was buying I was getting the filters?  Oooh, I was SO ANGRY.  £40 for nothing and still the job I was trying to avoid to be done.  Anyway, we had to go and get the replacement (£73 please) and Tam is going to fit it when she comes on Tuesday (when our son Danny will be here too).  Mind you, the chap at the shop showed me how to do it so I have a bit more confidence now, as no water needs to be turned off and I had a practice so know how to do it now.

I have been wanting a good walk all week, but life and the weather have got in the way.  Today the weather was kinder and after Keith had had a short walk on the flat in town, off I went, setting my sights slightly further afield and did the 3 mile circular walk from the house, across the fields.  It's a route I've shared before but I tried to take photos from different angles.

The sun was fickle and didn't last long but at least it was dry.

The bark on this tree looked almost reptilian .  Still trying to work out the species - the branches looked quite like a birch but of course younger trees have smooth papery light coloured bark. So, this is a lot more elderly, but a Silver Birch nevertheless.

An alternative round-the-block walk passing this farm goes through fields, across a stream, and up a currently-passable trackway which will be knee-deep in nettles in a few weeks, so impassable by May.

At the church I had a wander round the churchyard, and was hoping to get in as I had been told where the key was but alas, it was not there and a stout padlock stopped entry.

    Tomorrow the weather is set to be fairly miserable I believe, so I shall be sewing the little child's memory quilt.