Rudbeckia

The rudbeckia in the back garden has sort of featured in my blips before, but has not been the main subject. Mr A is not very keen on it. I think it looks rather sculptural and interesting. Behind it you can see the lilac of the cosmos, the tendrils of the salvia, and the light grey concrete base for the shed.

Some consequentials of the rearrangements of our plans have had to be made including putting the delivery of the shed back by a week. I was glad I phoned the shed suppliers. That was a useful thing to do. Meanwhile, Mr A went out and laboured in the garden and has put in a new base for a new rotary washing line. I hope the one he bought is not too big for the garden....We shall see tomorrow morning.

I worked pretty hard, but had to deal with one quite difficult meeting. After that, I was happy that a swim was on the cards. I was texting with my colleague and said at the end that I was off to throw myself in the North Sea. I was at pains to say that this was in company, plus I'd have my obligatory orange tow float with me.

It was a lovely little swim with a couple of other people. The sea is very clear and mainly quite warm, although there are patches of very cold water. It was hard to work out why those patches seemed so random. I saw lots of crabs scuttling across the sea bed. And then when I put my head in one time I saw an enormous jelly fish over to one side. It must have been a lion's mane. I then lost sight of it, but didn't hang around to try to check what it was or to take a photograph, but moved as fast as I could in a different direction.

Meanwhile, we've been spared the terrible thunderstorms and hail they've experienced south of Aviemore. So lucky I travelled up yesterday. The train I caught yesterday (the LNER train) is running about an hour late today and at least one train has been cancelled. Lots of disruption on the trains and on the roads. Meanwhile here it has been hot and humid, with decent sunshine earlier, but now rather grey. It would be good if there were some rain to break the humidity a bit.