The day didn't go quite as I'd hoped...

... so a bit of an emergency blip of a cyclist and some buses.

It started fine; my new lens was going to be delivered by one of the couriers who lets you track the movements of "Dai" who was doing my delivery. Perfect so I didn't have to wait in all day. I went to the Co-op and got most of the stuff on my list but no blip and I did get wet because it started to rain. No bother, wait for new lens and use that. I watched Dai's progress from Builth Wells, through Rayader and onto the small roads around Machlleth to make deliveries and finally to my door. Unpacked the lens and UV filter and screwed the filter on. I have arthritis so reckon I can't over tighten things but I couldn't get the filter off again, even using my little rubber mat thingy that I use for grip. I thought oh no problem I always use a filter and set off for a test run. As I walked towards the town it started to rain again and it dawned on me that I'd have to take the filter off to clean behind it...
That sort of ruined my concentration but I did get a quick snap of a cyclist. Once home I tried again to get the filter off, by now my hand was nearly red raw but the filter stayed firmly where it was. It didn't seem to be cross threaded just over-tightened. I wondered about trying to get the thread warmer than the lens. Clearly dipping in a bowl of water was not the best idea but I thought hairdryer and google agreed. So I tried but to no avail.
Having run out of ideas I walked to the local photographers and the lady there tried and tried to get it off but said she had problems with her hands and said her husband would be there in the morning and she was sure he'd be able to help.
Back home I googled "filter jammed on lens" and watched a YouTube that suggested using a rubber band to get grip. Another You Tube showed how to get the glass out of the filter with a watchmakers screwdriver (I have 3 of these) then while covering the lens with a cloth remove the filter with pliers. NO, not trying that!
So decided to go and buy or otherwise acquire a rubber band but first, I picked up my camera and low and behold the filter screwed off as easily as anything! Whew!!

I did go out again but it rained and I seem to have lost my mojo for the day..

The good news is I'm off to Lourdes for 6 days next week. But the bad news is the weather forecast is rain for 5 of the days and showers for the 6th...