Sun, sea and sand

The sky is blue, the temperature is lower than it has been but the sun is shining, just to prove that the weathermen don't always get it right. I have walked, Keith has cycled and Paddy is being extremely good, making me wonder if someone has slipped in during the night and given him a brain transplant. In fact, he has been allowed off his lead on the beach and came back when he was called. You see, miracles do happen.
Where are we? Answer tomorrow...or maybe Monday.

Paddy being good

This morning, Paddy and I set off into the valley, under the bridge where the stream runs and into the fields beyond. The weather is beautiful and, even though the fields are still brown and most of the trees are bare, there are hints of a forthcoming explosion of green, if you look carefully.

Paddy had a bit of trouble negotiating the kissing gates but he enjoyed the walk and, on the way home, when we ran into a walking acquaintance who has two impeccably behaved collies, he too, on this occasion, was impeccably behaved.








Of course, he may just have been too tired to bother!

Worried about squirrels on the bird table?

(Courtesy of T.K.)

Somehow, I don't think Paddy would be so keen to charge down the garden to confront this visitor!
On the other hand, maybe when he goes out and then rushes back in at the rate of knots, it's because he's spotted one...

Kingswood Grammar School class of '59

On Saturday I got a letter from an old school friend of mine, one of the very few that I do still keep in some sort of contact with, telling me about a proposed school reunion in a few weeks and asking me if I was interested in going.
A few years ago, when Friends Reunited was all the rage, I joined and scanned down the lists of names, wondering what had happened to those I remembered but then the moment passed and I think I am now at the stage when I don't really want to be dragged into the past again. School days were mostly OK, although, of course, there were ups and downs, but I never have looked back on them as the best days of my life. Heaven forbid!
The problem is that, as the years go by, we change, so the people we were back then are quite different to who we are now and all we are likely to have in common is the idiosyncrasies of our teachers and who kissed who behind the bike sheds - assuming we can remember, of course. After all, we've done half a century of living since then!
So on balance, I think it's going to be a no. Sometimes, it's better just to stick with the memories.
And anyway, what if no-one remembers me?

Remote preparations

Today was designated by Keith as 'get the caravan ready' day. The lack of rain, slightly raised temperatures and even the odd day of sunshine has put him in holiday mode and we are looking forward to making good use of the caravan this spring and summer. We only bought it at the end of last summer, so didn't get more than a few outings in it, but enjoyed our brief forays into 'wild Wales'.
So Keith has checked all the testical technical stuff and I have done the 'wimmin' stuff, like cleaning.
Paddy? Well, Paddy seemed to think that if he sat firmly in the caravan for as long as it took, it would eventually get moving and take him on his first break of the year. When that failed, he tried a bit of whining and looking dejected too.
Wagons roll!  Well, soon, anyway.

Smart wheels

This drew up outside our house this afternoon. Sadly, it was driven by a potential customer, not Keith's surprise present to me.

Ah well, it wouldn't pull the caravan anyway.

New houses

At last, we have open daffoldils! A bit late for St David's day but just in time for St Patrick and I'm sure David won't mind sharing.

Paddy and I went across the field behind us and walked round the adjoining field where the horses live. They're not there at the moment but they'll be back in a few months.
Then, we were a bit naughty and climbed through the (broken) fencing onto the road so that we could walk past this.









This is where 'they' are building new houses. Since I moved here, seven and a half years ago, house building has become this area's new hobby, all with its attendant disruption to the local road system, of course. The road running by this estate-to-be was closed to us from last August to this February and, since re-opening, guess what? Even more bollards and humps to wreck our cars on.

These will be three, four and five bedroomed houses, according to the blurb but I am wondering who is going to buy them. Many of the new builds around here are either still empty or have been bought up by housing associations.

As a fellow dog walker commented to me this morning, as we surveyed yet another area where it is rumoured that even more new houses might be built, soon there will be nowhere for us to walk the dogs.