The Saga saga and other diversions

This morning was grey and quite chilly when I woke at 9am (must still be tired!), and matched my mood. I realised I'd never enjoy breakfast if I didn't do something about the holiday I was cancelling, so dressed (because I don't negotiate in a dressing-gown!) and sat down at the computer before I had anything at all to eat. I don't think I can bear to do a blow-by-blow of my morning, so perhaps a summary will suffice ...

I persuaded Saga to refund me the cost of the holiday they'd just changed the travel times on. Couldn't resist pointing out what a good story it'd make - as the agent I spoke to at first thought I'd not get a penny I had to send her back to her superiors with a few extra thoughts on the matter. (I had breakfast after that.) Back to the computer. Online chat with an insurance person to try to reclaim some of the cost of the flights to London with EasyJet. So far I've only got the tax coming back, but I've pressed on with that claim. The Premier Inn was easy - I'd bought a flex booking. Finally there was the matter of the Loganair delay, so that's another thing I tackled later. We shall see.

After that I had lunch in the garden, read the paper there, and then took myself off for a solitary walk as Himself was coaching a soloist for next week. The two larger photos in the collage are of that walk, over the farmland and along the Ardyne shore. It was glorious. The other photos are from my garden, in which the first of my meconopsis plants has opened a bud, the old rose is in bloom along with the equally old climbing rose, and the wonderful wild whatever-it-is is in wonderfully purple flower on my wall. The garden is full of scents and bees. 

The  afternoon ended with a cup of tea with my friend Paddy, followed by curry courtesy of Himself. And the day has ended at midnight with a quick foray back into the garden to photograph the full moon and Venus making eyes at each other across the still-light sky. And while I was standing quietly looking at the sky I heard it: a busy snuffling under the hedge. I was just saying this very day that it was time we saw a hedgehog ...