It was the raising of this manhole cover by human waste that had recently caused us to contact Greg of Mouland Drainage who provided his usual exemplary service at a Senior Citizen’s discount.
Knowing that there would be two other points requiring clearance we made them accessible to Greg as best we could. This meant the artefacts on top of the covers had to be returned in place afterwards.
Just after lunch I righted the owl and planters covering the first of
these, while the other with two filled aluminium tubs is, for fear of toppling over, beyond me now.
This year is the first that the Japanese maple above the patio bed has enjoyed colourful autumn foliage.
On this perpetually overcast, yet warm open-waistcoat weather we took a forest drive.
I negotiated the pools on Tanners Lane to photograph the beach with
its water-beaten breakwaters and
distant views over which I could discern distant honking geese in flight, without realising that they would emerge over Tanners Lane
where Jackie would be able to photograph them from much closer;
another flock crying out to those overhead;
starlings switching from wires to tree in rotation;
a buzzard keeping eyes peeled for potential prey;
and me, before I later added
a pheasant face-off on St. Leonard’s Road.
Having begun with an owl on the patio we completed today’s theme with Jackie’s nourishing chicken stewp welcoming the addition of one of yesterday’s chopped duck breasts and crusty rolls with which I drank more of the pinotage.
