A Melissa original

One of the members of my book group is a recreational potter. I was delighted when she surprised me with this lovely present of one of her bowls when she arrived at my purple party last night.

This morning we enjoyed a slow breakfast with our overnight guests LauraMuir and Winsford. Then, when LauraMuir headed up to Waverley to catch her train home to Glasgow, Winsford and I followed my regular walking route to the gym. Winsford's guest pass for the morning allowed us to swim together, then sit and chat in the steam room and the sauna.

After lunch at the house, Winsford and I set off again on another expedition, this time to buy swimming costumes. Unfortunately the intelligence gathered at the dinner table last night proved to be incorrect. The two shops recommended had in stock a grand total of... [wait for it]... one style of swimming costume each! Even though we returned home empty-handed, we still enjoyed our walk along the cycle path to the first shop, the bus ride to the second (number 16, seats on the top deck at the front), and the return walk along a different cycle path.

Back home again, Winsford has been helping Mr hazelh try to make sense of the parentage of one of Mr hazelh's great-grandmothers (his father's mother's mother).

Tonight we will play Catan, eat leftovers, and watch last night's quizzes.

Exercise today: 1 hour on the exercise bike; swim (40 lengths); walking (22,000 steps).