In a flap!

Spent a good couple of hours uploading photos of the (not-so) new flat to the house swap website. Problems, but they have a Live Chat helpline which was great. Changed the browser - no more problems.

Off to ping pong on a lovely sunny day. I went a bit early so that I could spend a bit of time at the pond. I had a pocketful of proper duck and swan pellets - I kept forgetting and thinking they were some nice crunchy biscuits pour moi.

I had hoped the two swans would spy me from the other end and fly towards me, so I was ready to snap them. They did not. They took their time, casually wending their way over. They didn’t get any, as I stood on the pier and threw the pellets over their heads. That’ll teach them to hurry next time. The wee tufted ducks normally don’t get much. I love them - they are so cute. Then they disappear and pop up yards away.

You have no idea how long I have tried to get a shot of a mallard or a tufted duck having a flap. It’s over in seconds, unlike a swan’s flap which is pretty easy to catch. As usual, I missed one right in front of me. Then I spotted a female having a wee splish-splashy wash. I focussed on her and held my breath. YES! She flapped! And I was ready!!

Ping pong was busy today - five tables and folk sitting out too. My serve is getting better legal.

At one point a sweet little old lady with a smiley face wandered by. I’d played with her on my first day, and though her knees are dodgy, she has some very very sneaky shots. People try to play with different partners each game, so I cheerfully said to her, ‘I haven’t played you today!’ and she smiled sweetly.

Maureen, next to me whispered, chuckling, ‘Daphne chooses who she plays with...’ Evidently she’d sussed me out on that first game and wrote me off as not being worthy. Maureen asked at the end, still chuckling, ‘Did you get your game with Daphne?’ Er, no…

Nobody else gives me the cold shoulder. Aren’t groups of people fascinating!

As I was going out, Eric had gone to get his camera and wanted a few folk to pose with placards about closing mines. He’s doing a professional photography course, and has an assignment where he has to cut the group out and place us in front of a coalmine.

After waving a placard about like an angry miner, I went to look in his car boot which was full of camera gear. As he put the placards back in, he accidentally touched the next car. The woman in the driving seat opened the door and GLARED at him. He apologised profusely. She was still UNSMILING.

As she shut the door, I said to Eric in a stage whisper, ‘Was that scratch there before?’ But I don’t think she heard. Talk about over-reacting. He only tapped it with a wee stick! Aren’t people funny!

PS All names are fictitious. Not because I'm worried about libel - I just can't remember their names!