Lazy afernoon

This is probably not the best shot of the afternoon, but it sums up for me what was the best part of this afternoon.

In the office.
It rained.
Back home.
4.30 p.m.
Blue skies and the sun came out.
Walk down the garden path and across the road.
Walk along the green and shaded path which leads to the canal, over the stile and there we are.

I took several shots by the lock gates and chatted to someone bringing their newly purchased canal barge through the lock for the first time.

I then walked to the left of the canal, down the steep and well worn steps and sat on the edge of the tow path, my feet over the water. It only goes a short distance on this side and then stops. These canal side houses were built around 10 years ago. Long before that, before I came to live here, on the very same site, was a feather factory. Perhaps factory is the wrong word, but that's what the locals call it, making pillows and bedding; feather mattresses, I assume.

It was so beautiful and peaceful and yet so busy.
The warmth and sunshine came out of the blue, literally. It was a glorious Friday afternoon and so many people were walking their dogs or cycling along the tow-path, up and down. Single cyclists, couples, groups and families.
One dog, two dogs, three dogs. People walking, friends, couples, families.

And me sat on the other side, where people don't usually walk, watching all these people who did and with children crossing the bridge asking their parents, "Why is that lady sat down there?"

I think the simple answer is because it was such a beautiful spot and because I can.