Otley.

 I really do not know what I thought I would get done to day...but whatever it was has not happened. We went to Otley. As it was such a beautiful day we started off at Tittybottle park over the river first.

 The peddle boats are back! Lee and his friend Gummy used to cycle over to Otley and hire a rowing boat back in the day....like the 1970's. They are not working today...a really hot perfect day for this. I guess health and safety rules have ruined the fun. It is easy to drown I suppose. We never had any of that nonsense on trips from school and all. If we got in the water it was up to us to get ourselves back out. I remember a trip to Flamingo park when I fell under one of the rides. I flattened myself onto the ground pretty quick and the arm of the ride went over me without crushing me. No one stopped the ride. I just stayed down until I could get out with out being hit. That would never happen in this day and age!
So I am guessing the pedalos have to have a life guard and all now. no fun.

 I took along my Frida Khalo doll that I made from a Bratz doll. There is big conservancy about Frida Barbie dolls at the moment. Her family want them with drawn because they object to her image being used in that way. What would they make of mine made from a Bratz doll then?

 Any way here she is...a repainted rescued Bratz doll.

 I have about an hour until I have to get ready for work and my Friday night evening shift. So quickly type. I just fell asleep in the warm log cabin. I have moved into the shade on the decking.....I hoped to knit this afternoon and finish decorations for my walls in this log cabin.

 The park was beautiful We have not been for a while. The new flats converted from the mill at the end of the weir are finished and obviously now lived in as the balcony's over looking the park had on coloured flower pots in full bloom, tables and chairs and some wine glasses I espied.

 I also took along a Rockabilly doll I made from a My scene Barbie doll...complete with tattoos.....

 Skellington fabric....

 Below is the converted mill, now flats. This is one gorgeous place to live......

 And another Rockabilly doll I made from a Disney Ariel princess doll.

 The birds are well fed here. .......

 This water front row of houses is another gorgeous place to live. I have never seen one up for sale. Maybe they are priceless????

 Victorian, arts and crafts with stained glass. A total dream are they not?

 Looks hot. well it was. So we headed back over the bridge to trhe junk shops......

 Round about now Lee insisted that I put the dolls in a carrier!

We came upon the town crier who was informing us all of the Otley festival.

So what did we find in the junk shops? well I ONLY got one book in the 20p shop about Hannah Hauxwell. We went to all the others, the Victorian Arcade( no dolls in the old curiosity shop!) and the 99p shop and that was all I found. So we bought ice cream and wandered back to the car.

 Just being lulled by Rod Stewart the rhythm of my heart is beating like a drum...( this is from the 1990's I do believe)
   
Oh, rhythm of my heart
Is beating like a drum
With the words I love you
Rolling off my tongue
No never will I roam
For I know my place is home
Where the ocean meets the sky
I'll be sailing


..Lee's you tube of some bloke whacking a house burst into my little world a ruined the moment of summer, Rod Stewart in the 1970's(first cut is the deepest)  and made me jump. I always think Rod Stewart reminds me of summer......and the old days in Scarborough. any way........You tube... This put the tea cup askew slopping on my white top. I am sure Rod Stewart is good in winter too by the way

I went out this morning and was just  about there for the main event of the sun rise.

 Monza dog insisted. He came to wake me up just after the birds started up. Very insistent he was. I was not going to go to be honest as it is Friday and I know I have to be in work until 10pm to night.

 Any way...I was there when it all happened this morning. I nearly got mowed down by a cyclist again riding over the NO CYCLING sign written in big white letters on the path it is. Silly me thought it would be okay to stand here. Worst it was the same irritating woman that nearly had me three times the other day. This day she had to wobble to avoid me. Then I moved to avoid her and she very nearly came off.(pity). I did not say anything. What is there to say at 4.45am to the only person around who nearly runs you down? There was no one else around at all.....just empty space to later be filled . as yet it was cold, empty and very early. The Casablanca quote comes to mind
"Of all the paths in all the world why does she cycle into mine?".............or as it actually is...." Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." (Rick from Casablanca)

Do you think it is right what the old guy said the other morning? That the swan had killed and eaten all the ducklings? well they are not here anymore......so something has gone on.....I got all the way to the fish farm before I saw the swans too.

And was coming back around the second side when I saw the swan family heading over to their nest.

I noted that the moon was still visible as I left the house and I could still just see it over the sailing club house.......I waited for the swans to swim in front....and here they are.

I just got this picture as the cyclist on another circuit.....nearly had me again.....this time she really had to wobble as I did not hear her until she practically hit me.....I was not looking for her as I was not expecting it AGAIN!!!!

Gave me a filthy look. I took this photo of the daddy swan who was lagging behind as he kept stopping for a preen......

There was only me again.Only me around for miles and miles......Nearly 5am by now and one person on a bike had nearly hit the only other person around this morning....

So ....Friday morning in June and there was no "smoke on the water" this morning.....and I had not yet seen the three Gemima ducks....

They were there right at the end.

The day is going to be hot. I want to go to Otley. I am sure Monza will forgive me! First dog walk and then bring him straight home. There is no way he can be in the car for any length of time in this heat. In fact I really do not think I should be either.

Yesterday I successfully did keep cool. We had a barbecued lunch, and then I redecorated my log cabin. I bought a load of 50p frames from a junk shop. I then spent A happy afternoon on the decking with some wall paper paste and old magazines making some "art " for the walls......

Lee was not quite so canny. He had the roof to fix still and ended up like a cooked sausage. He had to keep coming down his ladder to get another cold beer.






Michael and Gillian turned up to their garage next door to paint some fence panels so I gave them a cold beer as well.
It is times like this that not drinking is harder. But we all know if I have just the one glass of wine it will start me off on a wine fest in the sun. Then we are all "f**ked" as I won't be working any more if I survive this time......


So no wine sitting in the sun for me. Though I can go to Otley . have a barbequed lunch and find myself a lovely present for my birthday next month.
What do I want???

Very busy doing nothing.

 Smoke on the water again to day. In fact there is "smoke" all over this morning and not a lot to take photos of that I can see. So I stayed home and painted my toe nails. These photos were from yesterday when I could see something.
It is cold at the moment. The windows are all still wide open from last night. This will turn into a red red hot day quite soon so make the most of being colder. Cold is just the right temperature for Monza dog. He is finally asleep. He spent the whole night huff puffing in the heat.

 "cold!" said Lee as he went for his morning ciggy. He donned a black wool cardigan and put on his pyjamas to go and stand on the door step . No smoking in my house...rain, shine or freezing cold. I always thought that fair enough. I learned very quickly that here in Yorkshire people just expect to smoke all over me and flick fag ends in the garden. Father is particularly offended by my no smoking in my house rule.....yes really he gets really huffy. There is a neighbour next door that smokes on her door step. I remove the fag ends at the front along with the weeds on the path.......

 So smoking done...tea brought out and toe nails painted.
" only just see Guiseley......" stated Lee as he tries to read this blog.
"stop reading over my shoulder. It is really irritating....you can wait until I read it to you..."

the mist has not cleared as i write. though i know it is going to be hot again. Walk Monza and then sit in my log cabin . I am reorganising it to day and was up early finding new pictures for the frames I bought in junk shops.......

 The radio is talking continuously about the fire on Saddleworth moor.....Which is out towards Manchester for those of you not from around here.
The heat has ignited miles of moor land and it is sounding like the army is going to be called with Chinook helicopters to fight the fire.

Saddleworth moor fire link.

 Well now... it is 8am....and the world is nearly visible now. The sun is just breaking through.

 Now that I am up all that remains is to finish my mug of tea and then put on my flip flops ready to display my pink toe nails.
Not a lot else to do today except keep cool....I can do that. Reminds me of living in Cornwall. I never really did a lot then either.

 I expect I will get bored with not having any money and not going out buying dolls and junk in a few days. It seems there is a choice. Either I work long shifts to earn extra money to spend or I quite simply don't do it and refuse to work long shifts anymore and therefore have no money. Whilst it is this hot that is okay.
Being cold with rain though is a different thing.....It costs more when the weather is bad or like Yorkshire and it is not so bad being at work all the time. Still the sun is here so I enjoy it.

 Lee spent the whole afternoon hot. He tried to finish the roof on the wood store. He began to look like a sausage on the Barbeque. Not a very sensible or good look for a guy.

" sun's coming out. Best get on with doing nothing then."