Soldier beetles having fun

It was a lot cooler this morning so I joined my friends and their retriever Brodie and we all had a fabulous long walk. Early on I spotted these distinctive beetles and not knowing their name I have looked them up on Google and think they are Soldier Beetles. Apparently they are often seen in pairs like this and their nickname is "bonking beetles" --- blame Google!

This afternoon saw me precariously up a ladder trying to unblock a down pipe. Eventually I had to completely dismantle it at which point I was able to find and remove the rather odorous blockage. The next bit was not so easy as each time I thought I had it sorted, the pipe collapsed at one of the lower sections. I was covered in water and suspect debris before I finally gave in and called for help from my neighbour because I simply needed more than one pair of hands. I try very hard to be independent but sometimes you just have to concede defeat!