Robin @fetchrobin@mastodon.green

Our house dates from the late 1840's and, like much of the housing in this industrial hamlet, was built to serve the nearby textile mill.
We've been here for five years now and have never previously got around to addressing the roof issues that the surveyor highlighted went we bought it - until now.
Our youngest cat Brindle is assessing the scaffolding ahead of the roofing team starting tomorrow.

There are some fabulous autumn colours out there right now. We found a bright patch yesterday and dodged the showers.

Yesterday was time for the annual service and MOT test on my electric car. If you aren't taking it to the main dealer, then it's wise to take it to a member of HEVRA - a network of garages trained to work on EVs. My nearest is 15 miles away, across the border, in Skipton which is a lovely place to wait while it's being done. Like last year I had time to look through the town, read my book, walk on the canal and wander around the Castle Woods (pictured).

Today marks the 32nd anniversary of the Pan European Picnic. This was when Hungary symbolically opened it's border to Austria and hundreds of East Germans fled to the West. It was an important tipping point in the fall of the Iron Curtain.
We visited the site in 2017 as the evening summer light was fading. If you are ever around Neusiedler See / Lake Fertő, Burgenland or Sopron, it's a hugely evocative place.

Photos from the first of two August short breaks in different parts of the UK. First break was here, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland - somewhere we went on holiday when I was a toddler but hadn’t been back as an adult.
We camped with the tent up by Loch Ken, so north of Castle Douglas if you know the area. The weather was admittedly mixed, as is sometimes the case in mid-August, but we had a fine time.

Cooler and more overcast today. Lots of birds-foot trefoil along the banks of the nearly-dried-up ford.

When we purchased it a few months back, we thought we had bought trailing lobelia that would flop over the sides of the tub. Turns out it's the upright type. Still it's worked out rather effectively, to the point where it's an accidental success we might well repeat.

Day off work. We parked in Clapham and walked to Austwick through the fields, taking a higher path with views of the scar on the way back. Wheatear and Meadow Brown butterflies here and there.
Considered going up to see the erratics but it would have involved a detour and we were taking it leisurely.

Talking about respective dreams over breakfast. I was Michael Palin and I was swimming down a flooded pavement in a harbour town. Partner says she was watching a mediocre, rather dry, tribute to Georg Kreisler where the audience were slowly leaving around her.
We don't seem to have conventional dreams in our household.

We are sold on the 'no-dig method' that we have employed in the new raised beds. So much less weeding compared to the beds we continue to tender 'conventionally'.

Heard on the radio that President Biden is flying into RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk for talks in Cornwall. Those places, by road, are 6.5 hours apart (and that's without stopping at the services for a pasty and to stretch his legs). Does he have a particular desire to check out the A roads of East Anglia or is there not a nearer suitable airstrip?

Today we went to a Wild Boar Park (although it has other animals and nature trails). Admittedly it's really a kids attraction, to the point where the lady in the ticketing kiosk was slightly incredulous "So it's just two adults right?". Anyhow, the sun shone, the animals were adorable and we had a great time.

The Kiwi who got a century today at Lord's in his debut test match was 'the pro' over the road at our town cricket club in 2017.

Prior to this afternoon had never really walked in the woodland on opposite side of the River Calder to Gawthorpe Hall. Lots of mature and hollow trees.

First time on a train this morning since Feb 2020. Not quite as weird and uncomfortable as I'd feared, although less wearing of masks than in a supermarket.
I used to do this cycle-train-cycle hybrid commute once a week pre-pandemic.
I got into, periodically, cycling the whole way last year. However, by my preferred, safe, off-road route, that was a time-consuming 2.5 hour round trip. So happy again to let the train take the strain for the middle leg once again.

We didn't start out walking until going on for 3:30pm but the couple of hours that followed turned out to include the best weather of the day.
A bank holiday weekend that has otherwise been categorised by unpredictable showers so far.

Saw Mum in the care home this morning for the first time since July. Hugely relieved that not as much "ground has been lost" as I had feared (based on phone calls during the lockdowns). Feel encouraged from here.

The DIY store weren't holding the model of wheelbarrow we wanted after all - despite us, curiously, having a reservation. So, dream wheelbarrow fantasies somewhat dashed, we parked up on the other side of town and walked along the river as far as the weir.