European Garden Spider...

...or Araneus Diadematus if you want the scientific name...

This specimen was huge!  I'd say the body was about the size of a 10p.  I went out for a walk at the North Third at lunchtime and he was just hanging there on my way back to the car.  

A friend, who lives in Montana, has announced that she is coming over here for about 7 weeks.  She is arriving on the 1st September and staying down south for a week before coming up here.  She is hoping to stay between friends for 2 weeks before staying in a flat for 4 weeks.  It's a bit last minute!!!  Stress!