Shy Scarecrow

I was fascinated to notice that when I was on the step machine in the gym this morning, my heart rate rose to 160bpm.This is off the scale of effort marked on the apparatus for my age group.
Fascinated I may have been, but slightly alarmed at the same time. Perhaps it's bad to over exercise. There is a panic button attached to every machine, which when pushed is meant to electronically stop the background music and direct help to your machine. Given that the early hour meant the background music was not on and the gym personnel hadn't arrived, I fear my options would have been limited had I needed help, or indeed had anyone else needed help. I suppose you use the gym at your own risk if you are an early bird.

Well I survived to tell the tale and after breakfast had a quiet and cold wander round Blackford Pond. I found this shy scarecrow guarding one of the allotments at the side of the hill. He was well wrapped up against the chill and the sudden hail shower that chanced out of nowhere.

I got back to the castle to discover that the buyer's surveyors who came last week, now want to have a roofer come and examine the roof timbers.
I just hope we weren't too jubilant about having sold the castle so quickly, and it's all going to backfire on us. Fingers crossed for no roofing problems and a quick conclusion.

To cheer myself up, I'm off for a visit to my friend, and then tonight I have my book group meeting. The book in discussion this month is 'Brooklyn' by Colm Toibin.