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Today,  after being woken up by pneumatic drills at around 8.15, I got a pencil sketch completed before breakfast so that I could get the colour notes in place using the early light as reference. After breakfast, we turned RIGHT, walked to the bottom of the road and turn RIGHT again.  Every day so far we have turned left, today was going to be different. We walked along the high path that took us past a few of the hotels we had passed before and on to the headland.  There we noticed for the first time the blowhole with the cordon round it.  At first I thought it was steam coming from the blowholes, after all, the island is volcanic, but then realised it was water running up from a fissure in the rocks, pressurised by waves.  Not hot, but still impressive. After shooting a few frames of the pretend steam (or Imposter Steam, Hazy?) we walked round the bay. I made the decision to attempt the cliff walk next, although the signs said Danger and Do Not Enter. We entered and although the path was a bit hairy in places,  generally it was really clear path across very rounded rocks, rounded by many feet I guess. There was one strange bit where we came to a crack in the rock with a couple of rusted pipes sticking out and a sound like breathing coming from it. If I hadn’t seen the blowhole, my imagination would have run riot,  but I realised that this was an other undercut made by the waves and the ‘breathing’ was just air being forced up through cracks in the rocks. Presumably the rusted pipes were vents for the air.  Scary though.

When we descended from the cliff walk, we were in a different land, we were in Poshland. It looked like the cheap hotels here were five star and heaven knows how many stars the really posh ones were.  One even had its own gatekeeper with white robes and a little pointed hat. Imagine if that was the way you had to dress to go to work! I was so taken aback I forgot to take a photo and that’s not like me. We stopped in a posh land cafe to have lunch. Tuna baguette for Scamp and club sandwiches for me.  Posh, expensive and very nice indeed,  but what else would you expect in Poshland.

Walked back to Normaland and had coffee and a slice of apple pie in The Pantry. It may be Normal, but it’s home to us. No white clad pointy had gatekeepers, but the coffee was good and so was the pie. Had to buy another bottle of gin because someone had drunk the last one! Went to level 5 pool and enjoyed another cold swim. sky had clouded over by then, so we headed for the apartment and watched a lovely sunset, then I started wondering what the light would be like on the mountains on the other side. It was startlingly beautiful and there was the added bonus of hang gliders catching the light from the sunset.  After that, it was Gin o’ Clock with a really good dinner afterwards.  An interesting day in Poshland. A great place to visit, but I wouldn’t like to stay there.

So, what of the day then? The day started after breakfast with a walk to level 5 pool. The water was just as cold as it was yesterday, if not even colder. We both went for a swim though – this gym/swim thing must be working after all. After the swim we sat, soaking up the sun for a while. On the walk back to the apartment I stopped to watch some hang gliders slope soaring up in the mountains above Adeje. They were really, and I mean really high up.

Scamp had been talking to a couple who recommended a cafe for lunch, so we got changed and went looking for The Pantry. It turned out to be just a street away and almost on our normal walk to the sea.  It seems to be run by an English couple and the menu is very British.  That’s just a comment, not a criticism, by the way. Lunch was scrambled egg on toast for Scamp and roll ‘n’ sausage ‘n’ bacon for me. All these apostrophes are a pain to type on a Samsung tablet by the way. Suffice to say that lunch was fine and we decided to make a return visit on our way back.

We walked for miles today, literally, miles.  We walked past Port Colon into a more scenic part of the conjoined towns. By this time the sun wa getting quite hot and Scamp’s shoulders were getting burned so we had to make a stop at a little shop for her to get a wrap to cover them. We decided we’d had enough for one day and headed back. On the way, we managed to pick up a couple of ice creams which wee very welcome.  Stood watching some of the hang gliders spiralling down to their landing area, spilling air as they went. Very impressive.  We did go back to The Pantry on the way back. Then, Scamp saw another couple of bargains!  What a surprise.

Woke early and after reading a few more pages of my latest book, “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet”, recommended by my daughter and one that’s growing on me (the book, not the daughter – she grew on me from the day I first held her).  After immersing myself in the lives of the deep space crew, I began the task of clearing up the back bedroom or as I see it, “The Painting Room”, so that Jackie and Murd would have enough room to put the bed down.

Then it was time to see what was ailing the Mac.  For some reason, Finder is taking an unconscionable time finding its files.  Despite my best efforts, the problem is still there.  I think my best bet is going to be restoring a TimeMachine, but I’ll let it struggle on for a few days in the hope that a couple of paracetamol will do the trick.  Failing that and the TimeMachine restore, I’m afraid its Hello El Capitan, but that is a last resort.  I’m pretty sure the paracetamol will work.

Met Fred for a coffee and a natter at midday.  Swapped stories and painting tips and a couple of CDs.  By the time I was heading home from our caffein indulgence, the wind was rising as we prepare ourselves for storm Abagail.  Bought myself a real book.  A hard copy as Fred called it.  Ian Rankin’s new Rebus book – “Even Dogs in the Wild”.   Looking forward to meeting Rebus again.  He’s like an old friend now.

Finally unwrapped the paints in my new watercolour field box.  It’s a nifty design with three mixing palettes, an integrated water bottle and water cup.  It’s even got a tiny, and I do mean tiny brush and a sponge.  A good design.  That’s what created today’s picture.  I thought the mixing areas were far too small, but they are fine for sketching, which is what the box is intended for.

Today’s cryptic title is from Painting Box by Incredible String Band:

“For somewhere in my mind there is a painting box
I have every colour there, it’s true
Just lately when I look inside my painting box
I seem to see the colours of you.”

Another cryptic title. Another music based title. Another rainy day. All will become clear, I promise.

Today started for me around 7.15 when I got up, had breakfast and afterwards, washed the dishes. This not having a dishwasher is a bit of a pain. I believe we are going to look for a replacement tomorrow if we can find a boat.

Later I started another oil painting, but like the last one, this one too bit the dust. Maybe the canvas is jinxed. Maybe I should stick to watercolour or maybe dressmaking.

After lunch (pizza with italian sausage! Maybe I should start painting pizzas.) anyway, after lunch I got the stir crazy blues. The rain had lessened so I drove to Auchinstarry and went for a walk along the railway. Got a couple of photos before the torrent resumed. The Kelvin was running really high. I’d guess it was about two feet above its normal level. It was getting dark so I headed back along the other path. I thought I spotted a large puddle on the way back and was just deciding the best path round it when I realised it wasn’t a big puddle, it was an enormous flood about twelve feet long and the full width of the path. It looked like the loch near the cemetery was flooding into the burn. It didn’t look very deep, and it was either wade through or walk all the way back round. I opted for the wade. The water turned out to be about a foot deep.

For those of a metric disposition, divide all these feet sizes by 3 for a rough estimate in metres. Candidates may use calculators if required.  (Not supplied)

I waded through the water and made it safely, but soaked back to the car. Thank you Mr Berghaus for making waterproof breathable jackets. Inside I was dry, apart from my jeans below my knees and my poor sodden shoes. Next time I’ll wear wellies.

“Within the valley of shadowless death
They pray for thunderclouds and rain,
But to the multitude who stand in the rain
Heaven is where the sun shines.”
Mad Man Moon – Genesis

Woke up to hear Scamp struggling in the dark.  Oh dear, either we’ve not paid the electricity bill or the kettle has tripped the circuit breaker on the consumer unit again.  That bloody kettle was indeed plugged in.  Unplugged it and reset the circuit breaker.  Went back to bed.  One of the great benefits of being retired is being able to look out at the driving rain and say “Nah.  Not today thank you.”  Turn over and go back to sleep.  Woke around 9.30 and got up and had breakfast.  Outside it still looked miserable.  Moped around and tidied up some of my junk that is forever cluttering the living room table.  Yes, I admit it!  Later I had a long hot shower to ease the ache in my back, but thankfully it wasn’t as bad as yesterday.  The ‘flu like symptoms’ had gone and I felt a lot better after the shower.  It was still raining outside, even heavier than before

When Scamp came in she noticed there were no lights showing on the dishwasher.  Hmm, could that be the circuit breaker culprit?  Probably not, but it might be a blown fuse.  Scamp went off to collect her ‘Gems’ group and I set to, to remove the fuse from the kettle plug and use it in the dishwasher plug.  Plugged the dishwasher in and got an almighty fright when there was a BANG and a smell of electrical stuff burning!  In the hall, I heard the circuit breaker trip.  Oh dear, looks like we need a new dishwasher.  Just to be sure, I unplugged the dishwasher, reset the trip switch and tested the socket with the socket tester, well, what else would you test a socket with? 😉  It passed with flying colours.  No doubt about it then, it’s a new dishwasher for us.  Oh well, it probably doesn’t owe us anything, it’s been doing the dishes for 10 years now.  It probably deserves a rest.

RANT ALERT
We didn’t have any spare 13amp fuses in the house.  Well, we probably have loads of them, but they are all hidden away in a tin that’s in a shoe box that’s in a drawer that’s under a pile of papers that’s behind a door that’s inside a cupboard.  Perhaps.  It would be quicker to buy some more.  Drove through torrential rain to the gym but decided just to have a swim.  Steam room is great on a dull rainy day, as is the sauna.  Did manage to swim a few lengths too.  Went to Currys, the largest electrical store in Scotland and probably the UK.
“Do you sell fuses?” I asked.
“You mean like 13amp and 5amp?” She said.
“Yes” I said thinking ‘Oh, Oh, this isn’t going well’.
“No, we don’t sell them.  You’ll get them in B&Q”
Currys, I repeat, the largest electrical store in Scotland and probably the UK.  Sells almost every electrical appliance you might need or want, but not the fuse to make it safe.  Went to B&Q, got the fuses and drove through the rain wondering what the world is coming to.
END OF RANT

I did think of missing out on salsa tonight, but we drove through the rain in to Glasgow and I did enjoy the dancing.  Thankfully the rain had abated a bit by the time we were coming home.  Abated, but still there.

In case you’re wondering, the Randy Newman song was “I think it’s going to rain today”

Writing this while standing at St Mo’s watching the last of the light fade. It’s been a dull day. I was talking to a woman who gave me chapter and verse about the family of swans that live there or maybe I should say who live there as she seemed to know them intimately.

Earlier, around midday we headed for Glasgow but while driving down the motorway in torrential rain, we both decided it wasn’t really the way we wanted to spend our day.  Scamp suggested that we take the turn off and head for Costa at Robroyston instead.  Good move.  After lunch at Costa, we did a bit of shopping and went home.

Typically, as we headed home, the sky cleared and by the time we got home there was a bit of blue sky overhead.  That’s why I went for a walk to St Mo’s.  Two poor blokes were fishing and I noticed they had a wee bottle of Bucky to keep their spirits up and inject a bit of warmth.  Couldn’t blame them today.

Monday was dull, yesterday was a mix of fog and sunlight, today was even duller than Monday with none of Tuesday’s sun.

We went in to Glasgow to check out a wholefood shop and after driving in circles for a while, eventually found a parking place just outside.  I got coffee beans which I will try in the next few days and a steak which I had for dinner tonight and it was simply delicious.  I’ll go back.

Tonight was the Cumbernauld fireworks display and it was as good as ever.  Hundreds, if not thousands of pounds of up in smoke.  Not an unusual occurrence for North Lanarkshire Council.

Today’s photo was not as taken, it is a combination of two shots sandwiched seamlessly in Potatoshop!

I started today by putting what might be the finishing touches to the oil I started yesterday.  It looks better, but still not exactly what I wanted it to be.  Time, as they say, will tell.  For now, I’m happy with my first ‘real’ oil in years.

I’d decided last night to do the gym/swim thing today and for once, I stuck to my guns and went – early – before 9.00.  That early.  When I got to the car there was a poor wee jenny long legs stuck to the aerial (Top left in the mosaic), covered in droplets of dew or it might have been dampness from the early morning fog that was just lifting.

I’m getting used to the upper body machines at the gym, they’re no longer torture devices, or maybe I’m just not doing it right 😉  Gym was very busy, so I might not go this early again.  The dreaded WaterBabies were in the pool with their singing teacher.  I think that’s why I cut my swimming short and soaked up some heat in the sauna.

Came home and had breakfast.  Yes, painting and then exercising BEFORE BREAKFAST.  This is the start of my new regime.  It’ll last until Friday … maybe.  After my late breakfast, I drove to Auchinstarry and walked the railway.  I left the house in sunshine and parked at Auchinstarry in cold fog.  I’d brought a body warmer instead of a fleece.  Bad move.  Literally hundreds of folk with their over-excited dugs were walking the railway today.  I did manage to get some moody shots in the varying densities of fog.  Saw a jay.  Don’t ever remember seeing one here before.  I remember seeing one down at Hazy’s a year or so ago, but never this far north.  By the time I got back to the car I was feeling quite chilled.  Drove home and it was back to sunshine again.  That’s Scotland for you.  Two completely different climates within a couple of miles of one another.

You know those days that start off all dull and drizzly in the morning then the sun shines through and by the afternoon it’s blue skies all around?  Well, this wasn’t one of them.  It started off like one of them, but then it just got duller and damper.  I started an oil painting in the morning.  A real oil painting with real turps or white spirit, because I’m a cheapskate and real linseed oil and proper oil paints, not the water based oils I’ve been using up until now.  I’m not sure it’s working.  Its another one on a square canvas and I feel you have to get the composition right on a square ground or it looks too dull and boring – like the day.  I’ll sleep on it tonight – not literally because that could be quite messy – and consider its fate tomorrow.

What was left of the day was spent baking a loaf which turned out really quite well, sorting out the music better on the new iPhone and dancing at night.  We did two classes which, added to almost two hours at The Garage yesterday put a bit of stress on my poor wee ankle.  I may go and do some gentle exercise at the gym tomorrow and then a swim with a session in the steam room to finish.  Nothing too strenuous.

Today’s photos were taken down by the Luggie.  Dull day, no good light and as we know:

**It’s all about the light**.

The First of November already.  White Rabbits, White Rabbits, White Rabbits.  Where does the time go?

Got sorted out early today and drove to the carpark at Underwood Lock with my bike.  Cycled  west towards Dullatur, but didn’t quite reach it.  After the bridge that takes you to Glenskirlie, the cycle path becomes one long, uninteresting stretch and I couldn’t be bothered completing that section, just for the sake of it.  It wasn’t that the wind was gusting too strong in my face, well, not entirely because of that, but it was a contributing factor.  Waited ages for the clouds to break and the sun to come out over the farm in the mono shot, but it didn’t happen, so I took the shot anyway with the dull lighting, knowing that I could resurrect it in Lightroom later.   Cycled about 200yds to take the shot of the fishermen and looked back to see the clouds had broken and the farm was sunlit 😡 However, I knew by the time I went back to grab the shot, the sun would be in hiding again, so I carried on back to Bonnybridge (which isn’t all that bonny, but does have a bridge).

On the way back from that bustling metropolis, I stopped off at Seabegs Wood.  Possibly only the second time I’ve stopped there in the almost thirty years we’ve stayed in Cumbernauld.  Today it looked beautiful with low glancing light showing up the green of the grass and the gold of the leaves.  Now, you see that stone in the top right photo?  It would be good to say that a Roman soldier sharpened his sword on that stone.  Unfortunately that is unlikely as the ground at this point is very wet and boggy, so the original ground level is way below the present one.  Pity, as it would make a good story!

While I’m on the subject of fakes, that beautiful sky in the mono shot of the farmhouse is fake too.  Like I said at the start, the early afternoon light was really dull and uninteresting, but the Lightroom version of the shot was bright, but boring, so I decided to augment reality (AKA cheat).  I sandwiched the bright but boring shot with the dull and uninteresting one as layers in Potatoshop with the bright one on top.  Then I used a mask to cut away part of the bright shot to allow the dull one to show through.  The finished shot should look as if the clouds are scudding across the land and their shadows are producing the dark patches.  That’s almost word for word what the Flickr patrons got as their description, without the explanation.

Must try to get out more using the car to travel and the bike to explore, oh yes, and Potatoshop to augment reality