an interesting day in the bay

It started of like any other day, off to work, first cup of coffee, and then Max said he had just gone past our house and the big tree in the park was being cut down. Well, like any good blogger, I knew this was a historic moment that needed to be shared, so off I rushed with trusty camera in tow. When I got there, the tree was down and cut into segments already,

so i took a few shots to try and give an idea of how big it was.

Sad as I am to see it go, it could have done some serious damage and injury if it had come down on the see-saw, so it had to go.

While the tree cutting team were there and giving the maples a haircut, I asked them to remove one of the upper branches which was growing fast and blocking our little sliver of sea view, so our view has gone from this...to this.While on the subject of views, I love magic time across the park. During the day, there is a gap through which you look down on the main street in a rather scabby part of town.

From up here it looks ok, but at twilight, it transforms into a twinkling magic looking scene.

Meanwhile back at the ranch.......... now work is going on at our house too! Andrew had a gap in his schedule, and so we are finally getting round to something we have wanted to do for ages. Our lounge is just a bit too narrow, and it has doors which open inwards, which take up too much of the precious space. So we are moving them out to where the pillar is on the patio.

First we needed to remove some of the tiles, and part of the ballustradeand widen the steps to the front door...

So now there are two lots of renovation to follow. Not too much on Croick cottage today, with all the other stuff going on, but here are a few little details that are coming together nicely....

Karen has polished up the old brass light switches...

and the trim on the front door...

we have hung a few light fittings

and put a shelf over the kitchen door.

On my way to an appointment this afternoon, I had to kill half an hour,

so I went to a roadhouse next to the sea, for an ice cream, and the sea was the deepest blue I have seen it for a long time.

There was an ENORMOUS ship in the harbour.

This evening, there was supposed to be a really bright comet visible low on the horison at sunset. So off we went to have dinner at one of our favourite places on the beachfront. Here are were a couple of things we enjoyed...

ships passing in the...er...... late afternoon!

And wonderful red grape juice with a slice of lemon, and ice cubes, just great after such a scorching hot day!

An acrobatic vervet monkey on the phone line...

And finally after a spectacular sunset...we came home because those low clouds that made the sunset so amazing also blocked the view of the comet! Whew.

Today's photo....

Call me a sentimental old fool, but I saved a couple of twigs, which I will put in a vase somewhere. I mean this tree has been a landmark since at least 1920, it would be a shame if its passing went un-noticed. This is their shadow on the stump that remains of a grand old tree.