59F - Sun>storm>dry>drizzle - all in 400 yards

A genuine Bungus sketch of Radiogandy from his pen, not photoshop jiggery-pokery, and signed.

Unfortunately I have to admit that it does look recognisably like me doing my 'old misery-guts' impersonation, which I seem to do more and more frequently.

I do not recommend it for late-night viewing by children or those of a sensitive disposition because of the risk of nightmares.

Such a busy day today. Blood-test before 9am (and they have just rung me with a dosage change due to my INR zooming up again, and another test next Tuesday) then to Mansfield for a full committee meeting at Connie's. Lots more jobs to do - but neither of us mind that - and we had our customary laughs.

Then to Carlton for lunch prior to Y's three-weekly 'Nails' appointment and again, not much needed doing to them. She is several weeks past the date when she was expecting to have to have a new set but they were declared to still be in good order so she just had a routine service. She must be looking after them properly. We all now accept that they are her nails and jolly nice they look too. She wanted them to look good because it is the Nat. Trust Annual Dinner tomorrow evening and we have been instructed that we are to sit on the 'top' table. We demurred, but we don't like to cause additional problems for Chairman Peter by refusing.

Which conveniently brings me to the need for a paragraph to clear up any ambiguity there might be over my National Service rank, and my Police Rank and the related eating/messing arrangements (see Blog of Sunday). The 'cigarettes in a glass' and the 'signing of menus' was during National Service in Germany where, as an LAC, I ate in the other ranks' dining room and those previously mentioned extras were trotted out on celebratory occasions. Both practices carried over into my Police experience where, as an Inspector I was supposed to eat in the Senior Officers' dining room which periodically became a Senior Officers' Mess, where Mess Dress was expected including the 'bum-freezers' I mentioned. I don't know if that clears it up or not but Bungus was concerned that he should perhaps have been addressing me as 'Sir' for all these years. I have assured him that I won't insist on it.

This is a Photoshop mess-about and photographers often produce black & white pictures from colour also 'high key' versions.

Picture 2 is the result of a filter called 'cut-out' and I think it produces an interesting result from what was a drab picture from my Carsington Water caravan jaunt. I particularly like the way it simplifies everything.

Likewise with the sepia picture of Weston super Mare Pier.

Love 'em or hate 'em, at least they look different and I do enjoy messing-about.

Now I've discovered this new aspect of Elements 4 I'm looking forward to several happy hours......... Till I get fed up with it.

While we were at the 'Nails' my tour of the charity=shops yielded no treasure, yet again, but, as we had a little time I took Y into my favourite and even she thought it was delightful. I say 'even she' because she is far from being as keen on charity-shops as I am. We ate in our regular Italian Restaurant and I boringly had the spagbol whil Y had the spagveg. Except it wasn't spag, it was penne. Both were delicious and for puddings we had lovely italian versions of vanilla slices. Mine was lemon based and Y's amoretti. But we each cut ours into two and swapped half. The coffee, two mugs each was quite up to their usual standard.

Lyn next door, the other side of the footpath reports woodpeckers in her garden, and that yesterday she saw one fly over into our garden. I must keep a watchful eye. I'll find out what they eat and encourage them with goodies. Busy day tomorrow. I'm going out with my Wednesday photography chums, and then we have the National Trust Annual Dinner in the evening.

No quotes worth drawing to your attention, and I'm tired anyway.

Sleep tight. Catch you tomorrow.