Today’s picture is a blackbird. There seem to be a lot of them in the garden just now.
The day started with a visit to Annan to see my usual physiotherapist. I repose great faith in her and I hope that it proves to be justified this time. She gave me a course of Ultrasound and then a pull on the traction table. That should do the trick but I will have to wait until tomorrow to see. It won’t help the hip which is still sore. I am relying on time, the great healer, to sort that out.
While I was getting treatment, Mrs Tootlepedal roamed round Annan doing useful shopping. On our way back home, we visited the municipal dump and got rid of a small load of stuff which you are not supposed to put in your bin.
Although it was very cold, it was a bright sunny day which let me take this shot of a sparrow…….
…and this one. The strong low sunlight can make life hard with a lot of shadows but it can give you some striking shots if you are lucky.
When we got home from Annan, we found the carpet fitters at the door and they set to work straight away. We are having vinyl put down in the hallway. This not only looks good but it should be much easier to keep clean than the carpet which was there before.
The men from Latimers did an excellent job and before long, not only was the vinyl laid but also the new carpet in the sitting room. This is not ready to photograph yet because the old carpet, which is coming into the office, is sitting on top of the new one. All sorts of moving of furniture will have to take place until everything is as it should be.
In the early evening, we had the AGM of the Archive Group on the new carpet. It went well and everyone is pleased by how much we have got done since we started.
Mrs Tootlepedal went out to her pantomime rehearsal and I cooked a recipe for Pakistani goat curry from a book that my kind daughter had given me for my birthday. Not having any goat about me, I used lamb and the result was both interesting and eatable, although not like any curry I am used to. I shall experiment with more recipes to add to my small collection of cooking skills.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
We’ve had clouds of sparrows passing over most of the day, all headed in a southerly direction. I sure hope they don’t know something our weather guessers haven’t figured out as yet!
Watch the vinyl when it gets wet. We don’t want an old man like you falling and hurting yourself.
have you seen the white blackbird in the park near my house? it lives just near the birdge and sits on the wall quite a lot.. a beautiful female.. but 80% white and only 20% brown.. really pretty.. are you still getting waxwings?
The waxwings have pretty well disappeared. Ally saw some yesterday but only for a few minutes.
Nice floor!
Well done for the fancy cooking and hope your back is now on the mend.
We are back from Bruges but I am going with Rachel to Greece for 2 nights tomorrow morning at 04:30!!!!!!!!! I am useful because I can bring back a 20K suitcase with some of her stuff that she will need living in Oxford.
Glad AGM went well. We are back home but busy. I have to get my eyes tested tomorrow afternoon so may not get round to get the Treasurer’s stuff. I will phone and check before coming. Kintyre was beautiful in the crisp sunshine. Carskiey is attracting interest but not sold yet as far as my sources know.