Friday

 Morning, everyone!  It's yet another cold and frosty start to the day with a clear sky and a bright moon.  I'm just back from the shed, getting in the provisions for the day from the freezer and my hands are so cold.  Brrrrrrr.

I picked up a little flyer about courses at Hyde Hall when I visited on Tuesday, went online yesterday and have booked a couple of them.  As an RHS member, there was a bit of a discount.
The first one is 'Hand Stitched Applique' which should be really satisfying, and the other is 'The Art of Garden Photography' which might help me make the best of my visits to Hyde Hall in the future.  Both are for beginners and the second says any camera will be suitable.   Phew!
That's cheered me up no end!  It's nice to be able to go to these things again.

I had a grand old chat with Chris first thing - lots of laughs and things to share.  We keep it to an hour, more or less, although come the warmer weather we might make it coffee out somewhere, or even lunch.  Nothing like pushing the boat out, is there?

Thankfully, Lindsey was feeling much better yesterday so I turned up for personal training and had a really great time.  Anyone who knows me from past times will know how weird this is - but it's true, I really do enjoy her sessions so much and know they are doing me loads of good at a time when if I don't use it, I will lose it, as the saying goes.

In the afternoon, thanks to Eileen's emails yesterday, I was able to make a bit of sense of the aperture instructions, got a couple of photos that show depth of field to stick in the work book, have some homework from Eileen to help with one area focusing and the next chapter is shutter speed which looks more straightforward.

See the slightly fuzzy background??

My confusion wasn't entirely me - just mostly.  However, the lens I have is quite limited and won't do much in the way of fuzzy backgrounds - sorry, I mean small depth of field - something to bear in mind if or when I replace my camera with something a bit more whizz - which won't be until I have finished this course.
Eileen - many thanks - and to everyone else who offered help too.

Today, being Friday, starts with the Slimming World meeting which is always really enjoyable - and it will be nice to hear people better again once masks are off.  Not this week but next.  I am sure some will choose to wear masks still and that's fine but I won't feel quite so guilty asking them to lower their mask so I can hear them.

Then I have to whizz home because someone from Seth's company is coming round to fit a new kitchen fan.  Not a fancy oven hood thingy, just a sort of hole in the wall type fan.  The one there at the moment hasn't worked properly for years!  It'll be nice to defug the kitchen without opening a window.

Finally, I must just do a bit of tidying for the cleaners.  It's not fair if the have to spend time moving piles of clutter before they can do their job, is it?

So that's today and I suppose I'd better get going and sort myself out.  Have a great day, everyone, and take care.  xx