Tuesday, almost like Summer for half a day

Woo hoo, it's a miracle, it hasn't now rained for over 24 hours, the sun has been out for most of the day (clouded over now though) I actually managed to walk Emma without wearing a sweatshirt today, yes, bare naked arms for the first time in yonks. This morning though, at 6.45, it was 5c on my house wall thermometer, and felt almost icy. It's still a long way from being what you'd expect at this time of the year.

Anyway, this morning the guy from PowerGen came and at last, after months of trying with bloody British Gas (which still hasn't been resolved, still not got the money they owe me)I have a new electric meter fitted. Even that was not without a hiccup though, because he came yesterday which was the affixed date, but they hadn't told him what meter he would need, and of course, he didn't have the right one! I thought here we go again, but he said he would go to Swansea, get one, and be here today between 10 and 12 to fit it - and bless him, he kept his word, and even phoned me to tell me he was on his way at 10.45. Thank god there is one reliable company who do what they say they will. So no more plodding down the pay point and getting tokens to stuff in and wobbling around on a chair to do it! No more knowing how much it's costing me either.....

Anyhow, that done, I wanted to take Emma somewhere other than just round the park, so boring every day, only gets me out for about half an hour, so I went to my favourite river place, and hoped it wouldn't be too muddy. Not too bad, went across the three farm fields, but had to pick Emma up to get into the last one as there was a lovely squelchy bit she would have loved to plod through, but I could squeeze down the side against the fence!

Wouldn't let her in the water, which she was a bit peeved about again, but it's just too fast flowing at the moment. The last photo here shows it raging, and this is normally just a trickle at this time of the year. I was amazed to see a swan too, the first time in all the years I've been going there that I've ever seen one. I should think he or she is having a hard time finding food. I was surprised to see how it managed to stay in one place with the current so strong, without any visible effort, they must have strong paddles on their feet!

Got a couple of shots in the field of a brown butterfly, which from my chart looks to be a Ringlet, but am prepared to stand corrected. There were others too, but none would stay still long enough for me to photograph them!