It's been a good day today

I sometimes think I have done naff all, a day wasted, but when I look back, I have actually done quite a lot. OK, it's not the same as going to work, but I still like to feel I am doing something usefull, even though some of my time is taken up with dossing around. I like being a bum, who can be usefull when she wants to be.

I did something usefull this morning when I took Henry for his first walk. I try to aim for an hour but we often walk for longer. I took my litter picking stick with me and a large bag. I managed to fill it to the top, in fact I had to offload some of it into a litter bin half way round, there was that much. We went up to the picnic area which is a secluded field near a wood, to check if the council have removed a load of litter left over from a teenage party which took place on Saturday. They aren't supposed to have parties there but they do. I reported the litter, and a dozen black bin bags of household waste that have been dumped in the car park. The bags have been removed, but the field hasn't been cleared, it's too much for me to remove. I'll go and check again tomorrow.

We went past the water tower and Henry remembered where the small pond is and went straight in for his swim. When we got back I started making another Felix bag, this one will be yellow and blue.

After lunch I put him in the car and we went to South Ferriby, about eight miles away. There is a big pond there, which he will love. After his swim we walked along the bank of the River Humber to where the water comes on to a shingle shore. Most of the banks are reeds and mud, I am always afraid of him wading into this and getting stuck, so I kept him on the lead untill we got to the safe bit. Off he went again running through the water, he can't get enough of it.

It was a lovely sunny day again, we have been so lucky with the weather this week. There is a little shop in the village and luckily I had put a few coins in my pocket, enough for a Magnum for me and a small tub of ice cream for Henry. We sat down on a grassy bank watching the passing traffic, there is always a lot of lorries on this road going to and from the cement works. This is the life, time to day dream with no urgency to do anything or go anywhere.

We strolled back to the car, via the pond for a last swim. When we got to the lock where the River Ancholme meets the Humber we walked a short distance down the Ancholme to try and get Henry dried off before we got into the car. He was fascinated by a group of teenage lads who were jumping into the water, (yes even more boys wearing shorts) ha ha, and of course Henry would have loved to join them. There was no way I was going to let him off his lead, the banks were far too steep for him to climb back out again. The boys were having a great time splashing about.

I am standing on the road bridge taking this picture, looking down the Ancholme. Underneath it is the lock. When a boat wants to pass through in either direction, the warning lights and sirens are activated to stop the traffic and the road bridge lifts up vertically. It takes about fifteen minutes to get the boat through.

All types of boats can be moored here, some permanently and some are passing through on holiday.

The one drawback about parking your boat here is the cement works next door, it is noisy 24/7 and creates a lot of dust. I should know I used to work there. It was before I came to live where I am now, I still had my house in the Midlands but stayed in my little caravan just down the road from the works, and went home at the weekends.

This is one of the lorries I used to drive, it carries 26 tonne of powdered cement. Now the company is called Cemex. So a little bit of nostalgia in my post today. I used to belt up and down that road, today I sat and watched them and thought, I used to do that.

When we got back I gave Henry his dinner and made a dash to Tesco. My fridge is bare, I need some fresh food. I'm pleased to say I got some knock down prices, I hassled the lady marking the bread down and got enough to fill the freezer, packets of wholemeal rolls for 22p, Allinsons wholemeal loaves for 33p. A few treats, cherries £1, strawberries 88p, scones 14p, muffins 37p, pancakes 18p, 4 kiwi fruits 45p, naan bread 14p. Eleven reduced items altogether. Total cost £36.42, and probably enough to last me nearly two weeks.

Tonight I took Henry another walk before bed time, and watered the veg garden. It's been a good day today.