Despite the morning's drizzle I put a waterproof coat on and made the concrete base for the second step. I didn't have enough materials left to lay the slabs tomorrow so I headed into town to buy some more sand and cement. That was a wasted journey, a waste of both time and fuel. I hadn't realised that the builders' merchants closed at mid-day on Saturdays and when I went instead to B&Q (large DIY store) as well as everything being more expensive they didn't even have any ordinary builders' sand. Only the red sand which results in red cement. 
On my way back home I reflected on my commute to work. From school I only have to drive about 1/2 mile before I'm out in the countryside. That 1/2 mile is through a residential area, a mix of old and new properties. All the gardens are full of flowering bushes and trees (including lilac bushes) and when I got out of the car to take these pictures I realised that the air was full of scent from the various flowers and blossom.
The lane in front of this cottage is full of bluebells (& pink & white varieties). Later in the year the bank is covered with red, pink & white valerian, a common wildflower especially by the coast.
Looking the other way, in view are my muddy little car and some nondescript bungalows with big front gardens. Once I get to the main road my views are of beautiful rolling hills , green hedgerows, many wildflowers and the sea in the distance. So unlike my commute to work when we lived in London. I cycled the 6 miles to my school in Wapping along dirty main roads in the company of lorries, vans, buses and cars. The buildings beside the roads were grubby mainly slightly run-down commercial properties and any views were of more grey streets with the occasional sad looking tree. The only wildlife would be a few pigeons or in the days when I travelled to work on the underground, rats scurrying about looking for food on the rails. These days driving to work is a feast for the eyes though the farmers' penchant for muck spreading makes the air a little flavoursome at times.
On my way back home I reflected on my commute to work. From school I only have to drive about 1/2 mile before I'm out in the countryside. That 1/2 mile is through a residential area, a mix of old and new properties. All the gardens are full of flowering bushes and trees (including lilac bushes) and when I got out of the car to take these pictures I realised that the air was full of scent from the various flowers and blossom.
The lane in front of this cottage is full of bluebells (& pink & white varieties). Later in the year the bank is covered with red, pink & white valerian, a common wildflower especially by the coast.
Looking the other way, in view are my muddy little car and some nondescript bungalows with big front gardens. Once I get to the main road my views are of beautiful rolling hills , green hedgerows, many wildflowers and the sea in the distance. So unlike my commute to work when we lived in London. I cycled the 6 miles to my school in Wapping along dirty main roads in the company of lorries, vans, buses and cars. The buildings beside the roads were grubby mainly slightly run-down commercial properties and any views were of more grey streets with the occasional sad looking tree. The only wildlife would be a few pigeons or in the days when I travelled to work on the underground, rats scurrying about looking for food on the rails. These days driving to work is a feast for the eyes though the farmers' penchant for muck spreading makes the air a little flavoursome at times.
