Well So Much For Sewing!

Yesterday's sewing turned into realisation that the Wessex Textile group's exhibition at Highcliffe Castle was on it's last day. We arrived at lunchtime which was good because most people at the castle were outside eating, it was very calm and quiet inside. We did the tour of the castle too, it's actually an extended Georgian mansion rather than a castle with an interesting history. Both John and I, though we both grew up virtually in it's shadow, had never been around it since it's restoration. No photos allowed though.
The exhibitions were very good we both enjoyed the displays. One of the castle guides didn't seem to like them much though, he was not afraid to state on more than one occasion in a very loud voice how he disliked 'this modern abstract rubbish' and that was while he was guiding people around! Had I been within his guiding services I think I would have kindly asked him to keep his opinion to himself!  It's not his place to state things like that.

We had a nice lunch afterwards and a walk along the cliffs in the sunshine.

We found a baby rabbit in the garden in the morning. We haven't seen rabbits in the garden as yet and, though we are backed by fields the warren is quite a long way from the house and the perimeter is tightly dog proof. The dogs would not have done to it what was done and the two Somali cats are too feeble to deal with one the size it was. Izzy is a 24 pound Maine Coon that can just about clamber through his dog flap, there is no way he would have gone over the fence and dragged one back into the garden. Where it was found was too small for a raptor to take off so that leaves fox. I think a fox may have taken more of it but food is plentiful this time of year so they can be choosy and an immature one may have been spooked by the dogs or Izzy. I don't like the thought of foxes in the garden, I've seen what they do to cats in the past. All a bit of a mystery!!

Could this Cheshire (well he's really from Sussex) Cat be responsible???

Last night the big sun parasol collapsed. Well actually the thick wooden bar that holds it over the table broke and ended up trying to go to ground through my arm. I had a numb sensation for some time but now just have an enormous bruise. Nothing broken and it missed my head. I had a very similar experience in Morocco last year. What have I ever done to sun parasols? I'm just waiting for the third event now. We've just been and bought a new one and brought it home. A 12 inch square box that's 7 foot long in a little sports car. A wee bit cramped!!!  I also woke up with crippling cramps in my right hip this morning, not great with a dodgy left knee!  I'm falling apart I think.  At least I can still sew if I don't sit for too long.

The sun is now hiding, (probably because we bought the new parasol) and it's even spitting a little. Perhaps now I will carry on with the sewing I left off yesterday.