Friday

Good morning and welcome to Friday.  It's sort of sunny here on and off although quite chilly and the forecast is shocking - heavy rain and a stiff breeze according to the BBC.  Drat!

A total contrast to yesterday, then, which was a simply beautify summer's day.  Warm but not hot, a gentle breeze and wall to wall sunshine.  Perfect for a stroll around the village green with a friend.

We set off when Val arrived at twelve.  Writtle has a good car park for a village so there was no problem parking off the road.  We went straight to the little cafe called Robyn's Nest.  I've never been there before but I will go again.  It's got a friendly, retro sort of feel to it with lovely crockery, very olde worldy.  I had the house salad (bacon, stilton and walnut and very delicious it was too) and Val had griddled halloumi and peach which is what I'm going to have next time!

After a most satisfying lunch, we wandered up the street to a little gift shop where a few things caught our collective eyes so in we went.  It's a tiny place and the owner seems to showcase local crafts.  We both fell in love with some screen printed shawls and my eye was caught by the maker's name.  It was a name I recognised from my teaching days - someone I had taught quite a lot.  Not a 'usual' name so I asked and yes, it was the same person.  So, of course, I HAD to buy one of the shawls, didn't I?  To that I added a hand made card and, at the last minute, a pretty bangly thing, very fine and delicate, the sort of thing I will enjoy wearing and it's so comfortable I hardly know it is on.

We them wandered around the church which I have mentioned before, here, before strolling to the pond and watching the pigeons and doves chasing each other around and the ducks waddling to and fro, funny things.

As the poem says:

From troubles of the world I turn to ducks,
Beautiful comical things
Sleeping or curled
Their heads beneath white wings
By water cool,
Or finding curious things
To eat in various mucks
Beneath the pool,

The whole poem is here.  I love it, especially the last verse.  Do take a look.

So, all-in-all, an expensive but satisfying couple of hours with a lovely friend, a time to be treasured.

Pottery was, as always, satisfying, although things didn't go all that well.  I glazed the last leaf coaster so that should be ready next Thursday and then I turned to the shapes for the bowl I want to make.  Unfortunately, despite being wrapped, they had hardened in the fortnight over half term so I kept spraying them with water until they softened again.  This made the edged very soft and unformed though so I had to be so careful.  When we (the tutor and I) thought they were ready, we tried to shape them into the bowl mould and some of them cracked so I learnt how to repair a crack!  I had to make one new shape as a few were beyond repair.  We got there in the end and now it is sitting and drying off so I can smooth it off next week - very carefully!
I had my camera but forgot to take any photos, darn it!

In the time I have taken to write the above, it has clouded over and is now getting gloomier and gloomier so I have just rushed out to pick my breakfast strawberries (ooooh) and found a little bowlful which will go beautifully with some oat waffles and some vanilla yogurt.

Today, I was going round to a friend in the afternoon for a catch up, but she's not very well so that's been rescheduled.  However, in my morning stroll around the 'estate' I observed that those pesky runner beans I planted a fortnight ago haven't come up.  No one single bean.  I have no idea why not but they've had their chance and so I'm off to that nice newly discovered garden centre to get some plants.  It the weather plays ball, they will go in today.  If not, I will seize the first fine spell.

Before I go, I will take a look at my finances and see if I can afford another planter.  After yesterday's little splurge, I'm not sure, but - well, we will see.

I have some washing and some ironing and I want to spend another half an hour on my bedroom.  I'm really getting there now - setting the timer for specific spells of time works really well.  Yesterday I sorted out my shoes (no, it didn't take half an hour) and found that I have more than I thought I had so I have ordered one of those hanging shoe containers that can go in the wardrobe.  That should stop them from getting into a muddle again and save space at the same time.  No more tripping over escaping shoes!

Well, it is nearly eight o'clock and I still have another blog entry to write so I will stop, grab a coffee and get on with that.  I hope the weather isn't too bad your way and that your day is great!  xx