No sign of Postman Pat

I decided that my original image for today lichen on beech tree was not one I wanted to keep looking at! I've chosen one from when I went to pick up a parcel this morning and the PO yard was cram packed with vans, ready for the day's deliveries. Apologies to those of you who made kind comments about the lichen but it just could not stay!

I had an early start this morning, taking Guy and Margret to the RVI in Newcastle for a 7.30am appointment on the Day Unit. Guy has a very painful back and went for steroid injections into 6 facet joints. As I fought with a recalcitrant wheelchair - why do they only go backwards? - I carried his oxygen cyliner strapped to my back like a spacemanperson!!

The Day Unit was very cold - there was no heating - so it was fortunate that he was there for less than 2 hours. Still time to get chilled through.

Back at home we had a succession of people doing jobs for us. Lovely to see them all, but the moment when the cleaners had just left and the gardener (noisy hedge trimmer on the go) and the window cleaners (3, noisy ++) were working in unison was not my best moment of the day.

I was photographing a bracket fungus for the tree surgeon when I saw this lichen on the beech tree. It's a crustose lichen with soredia (tiny powdery areas) but I don't know which one. I wondered if it might be the chewing gum lichen or something similar. Can anyone help? I found it hard to show the detail with any clarity despite the tripod and a good macro lens, but I do like the tiny mosses and liverworts you can see around about on the bark.

Early night. Arth settling but a bit grumpy (bit like me I guess).