The bagpiper is alive! And a spider alarm goes off early this morning.

The bagpiper was playing again this morning. I’m so glad to know he’s alive! I’m thinking maybe he and his wife have an agreement – he agrees to only play every third day, and she agrees to feed him.

I was woken at dark a.m. this morning by a spider walking across the palm of my hand. It felt like it was about the size of Jason Momoa. I disinvited him from my person immediately, and heard him thud on the floor. So he weren’t no lightweight! I had to wonder if it was Bruce, the guy who lives in my ceiling. Smudge Friday slept on, unconcerned that her flatmate was potentially being sized up for an arachnid dinner. That does it – she’s getting one less cat bickie today!

I thought I had finished painting all my boards, then I found this. Hiding in plain sight. How in the heck did I miss it???

So another painting day it became. This schooldesk I got at the recycling centre is DEFINITELY getting painted!!

Other bits I dug out for a recoat. Of course I decided to wirebrush them and paint rust convertor on them first, ‘cos I’ve got nothing better to do, right?? Oh, hang on…

In case you were ever wondering, this is what the inside of a lantern looks like.

Some frilly cast iron bits I bought months ago at a second-hand shop. At first they were in for a casual wire-brushing, but then muggins here decided to get all the old paint off, didn’t I? What an idiot! Three painful hours of scraping with a flat-blade screwdriver, and I’m almost there. Another couple of days should do it.

Them’s working hands. They’re now holding up a glass of wine. They’re versatile like that.

Later on, Smudge Friday has a crack at getting the last of the evening sun.

She has an audience. Again…

And finally she turns her back on the despised backyard paparazzi. Oh well, that’ll learn her for not rescuing me from the 10-foot mankilling spider this morning.