​A beautiful, intricately carved Rosslyn Chapel, near Edinburgh, that Andy and I visited today.

​I was going to put some plants in this container, but it’s self seeded without my help, and is now growing honesty and California poppies. I’ll let it do its thing.

​The Apollo Pavillion, a brutalist ‘work of art’, in Peterlee, and completed in 1969. Designed by Victor Pasmore, a leading abstract artist.

​A healthy tea tonight, salmon and stir fried veggies, watched by Tricksie Treat.

​This is the first year of looking out of my window and seeing this fabulous hedge of blossom in full bloom. The scent carries across to my house. It’s my favourite tree, the Hawthorn.

​Looking across the Wear valley after climbing to the top of the hill on our group morning walk.

​A woodland walk with a group this morning. Rob having a moment of madness with everyone.

​At the Empire in Consett for comedy night with friends. One of the comedians was Sammy Dobson, who also stars in TV’s Casualty. She was pretty funny!

​The middle of May and it’s been cold. Cold enough today that we had thunder and lightning with hailstones the size of marbles. The view out of my lounge window, and that isn’t blossom on the ground.

​I drove to Yarm today to look around charity shops, and was delighted to find a wonderful gift shop, that I’d been to about 15 months ago, and hadn’t remembered where it was. For over a year, I’ve been searching on Google, and had been to Ripon, Thirsk and Northallerton, trying to find it. Due to the heavy rain, wandering around the town wasn’t an option, so I had a fabulous lunch here too.

​Tricksie Treat runs towards me to start her begging an hour before Treat Time. I have to deal with this every day.

​I inadvertently took this photo while messaging an invigilation colleague. I’ve made it completely anonymous, but this was during an exam today.

​We all took turns, on today’s walk from North Shields, to pose by this railing, because Margaret said it looked like we were on a cruise ship!

​Looking up at a Cold War Avro Vulcan B2 Bomber at NELSAM, Sunderland.

​Mr Blue Skye always likes to sleep on my lap with his head tucked into my hand. Dear little chap.

​Walking through a ‘wild’ cemetery, subsiding probably from collapsing coal mines.

​Another walk with the Consett group this morning. Andy slung his jacket over his shoulder; I wasn’t as brave until nearer the end. It was sunny, but chilly!

​The boss’ desk of where I had 2 new tyres fitted in Spencer today. They had a great sense of humour and gave great service too.

​So many fields are golden with rapeseed right now, it’s gorgeous.

​I had a spectacular late lunch today with a dear friend. Peter set me up in a flat while I was house hunting, came and viewed houses with me, gave so much helpful advice, and let me use his contractors on my new home so I wouldn’t get ripped off. We stay in touch, and today we lunched at Frallo Copt Hill, which used to be owned by Peter’s friend, Bobby Kerr, who was the Sunderland football team captain when they won the Cup Final in 1973. This photo was afterwards at Peter’s home. That seagull had just woofed half a jam doughnut down in one go.

​The banks of Castle Eden were covered in wild garlic today.

​First tasting of the Hawthorn Berry wine. Not superb, but not bad either, especially since it’s the first wine I’ve made in 30 years. It is potent!