Stripped bare

I was on my way to B and Q and pulled over to take this shot of the distant spinney on the downland ridgetop.

On the way I bumped into the gas fitting team who were around a lot in the summer. The sewage pump breakdown in the bay has put their work on hold and is costing them money. They looked in good heart though and were full of bluster.  We shot the breeze as the team leader fiddled with pumps and canvas balloons to check the pipework he was fitting for leaks.  The two older blokes have a fantastically wry sense of humour and bounce their contempt for their bosses and customers of each other endlessly. But last summer as the contract got further and further behind you could really see the stress starting to get to them.

The chop-athon continued intermittently but with greater care than yesterday (I avoided all forked rings) and with steel toe caps. I have ordered some shin protection for the finale of gnarly pieces.

Wind's supposed to pick up tomorrow evening with our me-too section of Storm Abigail ('ave-a-gale). Best wishes and good luck to all west coasters and islanders tomorrow night.