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So it was that I was travelling alone for the first time in three years, I caught the very efficient bus service from Vigo and was soon in Portugal heading for Porto airport.

Everything went very smoothly although I had expected the very large queues at check-in due to increased security, I was pleasantly surprised at the quick and efficient way it was dealt with. in 30 mins or so I was past the check-in and waiting in the departure lounge. I was thinking about how sad it was that we lived in an age of religious and political intolerance, little thinking that our adopted home of Spain would be the next target of terrorism. It came in the nature of these things not through an airport but from within the country itself.

I had a rather long wait for my flight and Lynne sent me a photo of our latest crew member, she (Lynne that is ) had been enjoying the sales in Vigo.

After a trouble free flight and another speedy passport check I was free to negotiate the frankly appalling transport system through Manchester. My Train ticket was paid th Horwich but not wanting to wait over an hour for a connection I left the station at Bolton and jumped on a bus, that evening the sun set in spectacular fashion, I now know it was saying goodbye, as it started to rain fairly continuously for the following week.

The view from our house was as pleasant as ever and the hills occasionally revealed themselves as the clouds parted. In between the rain I was trying to get the small garden into some sort of shape.

It had got slightly oiut of hand! Alex helped me out clearing the grass trees and extensive root system that were threatening to undermine the wall.

I also got to spend a little time with my family at the usual Sunday bike gathering at Rivington Barn.
Below is my Father examining a BSA and my sister with my favourite collie Bonnie, looking a little peculiar as she had just had her coat shorn.

I had decided that a low, or non existent maintenance garden was the way to go so bright and early a lorry arrived with the makings of one, two tons of pea gravel and some concrete edging blocks.

 First job was to lay a weed proof membrane before laying the gravel down by hand,

surprisingly three hours of shovelling didn't seem to bother my knee at all.

The result was very satisfying........and looked pretty respectable again.

I even ordered a quite cool pair of aviator style shades but unfortunately the varifocal prescription turned out to be biased more towards reading than sailing yachts so they will have to be remade, more delays.............
But the good news was my knee was behaving brilliantly!