Not firing on all cylinders!

It's that time where things get a little harder, the hill is a fraction steeper and the car chugs along behind a slow moving lorry safe in the knowledge that it couldn't pass it anyhow!  Then you know ... or you do when the nice man from Kwik-Fit tells you ... you've got only three cylinders!  I initially thought it was a hole in the exhaust ... but it's not as serious as that.  At least, not as serious if the price you have to pay has a direct relationship with importance!
That was this morning's little drama ... and the part has to be flown in so we'll have another Kindle moment in Kwik-Fit tomorrow while the new "plugs and leads" are attached to whatever they are attached to.  Knowledge of what happens under the bonnet is not something that I've craved to know ... I can fill it with petrol and, if pushed, check the oil ... after that ... it's somebody else's job.  Oh, and I do know the colour of the car and can (usually) recite the number.  I had to say "usually" there as I signed in to a car park the other day and gave the registration mark of my last car!  Duh!
One of my trips took me past RISE again and I'm delighted to see that the other "reeds" are now in place and the lighting fixed.  All I need is the chance to go and take some night time pictures ... one of these nights!

The little tree indicates just how stormy it was again today ... not constantly ... but there were moments when Katia wasn't far away.

I wonder how many folk snap away at RISE when the traffic lights are on red.  Here I didn't even look at the camera and just aimed it out of the side window as the lights began to change.
Weather wise today was very mixed: some short and very heavy showers, some sunshine, gusty winds ... from one minute to the next you didn't know what to expect.
Eliot was in a "bouncy" mood in the morning wind ... always ready to pounce and play ...

This is his very alert pose!  He had, however, no interest in the turtle money box - that might because there were no treats involved!
 There isn't much in it but it carries a lot of memory.  A long time ago, in another life, four of us teachers went to Edinburgh for a holiday weekend.  This was the souvenir that I bought for myself as a reminder of the trip!  I don't think that there's any particular link between that cultural capital and a rather tacky ceramic turtle ... but it makes me smile!
Another cause for smiling today came from a company called "Dainty Little Cupcakes"!  Last week they held a competition for a new flavour combination.  My original idea ... and someone is bound to take this up ... was "Marmite and Cheese".  That was rejected ... indeed I was told today that it didn't even make it into the short list!  However, my other idea was the winner.  "Raspberry and Rhubarb" flavour.  And the prize was a dozen of the mini cupcakes.

 They are such a perfect size ... and so very, very tasty.  The rhubarb flavour is subtle but, when you know what you're looking for, it is there.  I love the glitter ... am assuming that there is some kind of edible glitter? ... and the delicate flavouring.

The one penny sitting beside this one shows just how mini the smallest ones are.  Ali does two sizes ... this one and the traditional "bun" size.  She doesn't do the muffin sized ones which I always think are too big and too sugary.

And finally ... though I could go on and on ... the BBC weather had another of my pictures tonight!  Dundrum Bay again ... one of the favourite places I have for taking photographs.  So ... smiling again!

Angie tells us that the weather tomorrow might just be a little better than it has been over the past couple of days ... that would be good.
Weather does dominate our conversations.  It doesn't influence (too much) what we do ... but it certainly makes a difference to how we feel!

Now ... need to go to the desktop to do a bit of work for tomorrow morning and then, if at all possible, be in bed within the hour!  Maybe that's a bit ambitious ... but am certainly going to aim for it!  After all, if we've had the news and the weather then the night is well advanced.

So ... looking forward to Holy Communion tomorrow at one o'clock and all the visits to be done both in the morning before it and in the late afternoon as well.  A nicely packed day that will draw to a conclusion with Choir Practice!

Sleep tight ...