The clocks go back tonight/tomorrow - it marks the end of the Summer and I cannot believe it is only 8 weeks until Christmas.  Since lockdown we have been waiting for the year to begin and now it just isn't going to happen.  Save for the surprise arrival of Laura and Mark for my birthday (which was so very lovely and unexpected) we have had, for the first time in 10 years a year without visitors.   I do believe that the biggest problem facing us now is the state of people's mental health.  I think we can all cope with what life throws at us if we can see some light at the end of the tunnel but for many at the moment that light just isn't there.

Although we are packing away a lot of garden furniture and furnishings in readiness for the forthcoming winter and the coptic storms which now come thick and fast I still want the garden to look as nice as I can make it.  I recently purchased some artificial flowers from tintyweb which I have put in an old watering can which are to go 'up top' and await the matching cushion covers.  It is amazing what a difference a splash of colour can make!

I also spent this morning waterproofing a pot which we wanted to put in the garden.  It is missing its bottom which makes no difference to me but we think it might be a bit old so wanted to protect it from the elements.  Inside is a variegated version of the ice-plant which we have growing all over the place and which makes a great in-filler.  Anyway I love this pot with its missing bottom and strange colouring.

We had Costas the Aluminium Man come this morning to fit two more fly screens to the house which are a waste of time photographing because you cannot see them when they are in situ.  We are very pleased with them.  One has been built to sit alongside the sliding doors on the conservatory and one will fit into the back door space when the back door is open meaning we can achieve a through draft without iggies but with confused cats who aren't sure what is occurring.

This afternoon I went to check on Isabel and Andro.  Andro is a rescue dog who struggles a bit socially.  Mina reckons he would benefit from having the snip so I have suggested it to Isabel.  Ando comes across a bit aggressive and as I am not really a dog lover this can be a bit disconcerting.  In reality he has had a very checkered past so there is no telling what he endured and what effect that has had upon him.  Anyway I am pleased to say that Isabel seems fine - we always have a bit of a laugh together even in some of her darkest times so that is a testament to her lovely nature.  I think that wherever she ends up we will remain friends.

Mr Boo was in a fight this afternoon.  He was under my car when engaging in a spat with the ginger cat from up the road.  They both had paws full of fur so I am not sure who came off the worst but Mr Boo has a fat cheek and a big old scratch down his ear.  He is a bugger for abscesses so we are going to have to keep an eye on him but he looked to be ok this evening when he settled down with John for the late game which was Liverpool v SUFC - I went to bed - I knew that this was going to be a game which would have John shouting at the screen and I wasn't wrong!!