A day of two seasons

I was sitting drinking my morning tea today, having shut one of the bedroom windows because of a chill draught, when one of the enormous cruise ships that have been passing this week hove into view, heading up the firth towards Greenock. I watched, and I thought of the people who might be getting off at the cruise terminal, finding themselves in West Greenock, coming up the road past the container terminal just as the rain arrived, and the wind. Maybe they'd just stay on board, have a coffee, have lunch, have a nap, a drink ...

We, however, were not on a cruise. We had the chaps from the roof indoors today, as they scampered (well ...) up and down our stairs and up the loft ladder to do the interior finishes to the Velux windows and lubricate the ladder fittings - we've not had it up in ages because it had become so stiff. They've done a great job; Himself spent the afternoon cleaning up the plaster dust from the floor and removing the dust sheets. Now we just have to see if there's any way we could get a means of using the loft suitable for the ancient. Watch this space.

Another joy of the morning had been printing out a glossy version of my new passport photo so that I could apply for a replacement driving licence. I had thought to do it online, but the unhappy chance that had me need both licence and new passport at the same time meant that the DVLA couldn't match the existing licence photo to the new passport one. At least, that's what I assumed must be the problem; they didn't see fit to inform me but merely told me after I'd filled in every asterisked page of the application that there was a problem and I should apply on paper. I had downloaded the photo used on the passport, but the fun of scaling it down and getting the printer to recognise the rather elderly photo quality paper was a whole new cup of joy to sip and took far longer than I'd intended.

All this time, the rain had been growing more torrential, and a nasty wind was threatening my phlox with destruction. However, around 4pm it began to lessen, so I took my application and my trusty string bag and walked up to the Post Office (which is inside the Co-op) to post it safely. (No, not the string bag.) While there, I took the opportunity of being Inside A Shop at a suitable time - and bought a litre of my preferred vodka. (No, I don't knock it back in secret - I've made flavoured vodka with some of it to have as an apero while it's still summer enough to enjoy it with tonic.) I added a box of espresso coffee bags (very useful when you're away from home) and decided to march round the long way home. That's when I got this photo of Dunoon pier, looking lovely because you can't see how neglected it is, in the sunshine that by then was making me boil in my waterproof. 

I was out for far longer than I'd intended because I met a former colleague who is notoriously hard to  have a brief chat with; we ended up having a hing on the sea railing while he took off his waterproof trousers and cagoule (he too was boiling) and reminiscing about Life In School for far too long.

And just to complete the season as we returned to summer weather, I caught sight (during online Compline) of the morning's cruise shop coming back down the Firth in brilliant evening sunshine. I shall add an extra of the photo I managed to take before Compline started, just because it's so wonderfully, crazily unlikely. 

I believe summer this time is to last till lunchtime tomorrow...