This morning started out foggy - but later it turned into a amazingly crisp, clear and sunny autumn day. I went for another walk down to the riverside, and back home via the cemetery. I live only a short walk from both - but today I walked slowly on purpose, just for the pleasure of staying out for a while (an hour or so).
When I first woke up this morning, the sun wasn't up yet, so not much use even looking out of the windows. I was also tired, so went back to bed and my audio book... And fell asleep again... Next time I got up, and looked out of the window, I could hardly believe my eyes. Instead of the usual grey that has been hovering over us all December so far, there was blue sky, fluffy white clouds, sunshine - and frost on the ground! Quite an impressive winter solstice transformation since yesterday!
Best to make use of the sunshine while it lasts! I thought; so around 11:30 I set out for a walk to get the most out of the daylight.
Although the sun is "back", it still doesn't go very high over the horizon even at noon...
The fact that the sun was showing its face inspired me to expand my walk beyond the old cemetery. One thing I cannot order with the home deliveries from my usual supermarket is flowers. (They sell flowers in the store, but not online.) And the nearest florist's is downtown in the city centre - still too far for me to walk to (considering that if I do, I also have to walk back home). So I've had no red poinsettias or amaryllis etc at home to brighten up the gloomy first three weeks of December.
However, today it struck me that about half way between home and the city centre, there is nowadays (since some time back in early autumn, if memory serves me right) a Lidl grocery store. So far I've only been in there once, shortly after they opened. But now I checked their ads online, and it did indeed seem like they might have some seasonal flowers. So that's where I steered my steps today.
And I found what I sought. I bought one large and one small poinsettia, and also an amaryllis - still just a bud, but showing signs of perhaps even producing a second one later on. (They had taller ones, but those would have been difficult for me to carry home - as I was using two walking poles, I had to choose flowers that I could fit into my backpack...)
The sun keeps shining - but the same cannot be said about the basement lights ...
We're having another glourious September week, with afternoon temperatures reminding more of high summer than autumn.
On Monday I walked into town for a haircut, and also could not resist snapping a couple more reflection photos.
On Tuesday I walked in the opposite direction, to the supermarket for a few things (no photos).
Wednesday (yesterday) was Laundry day for me, so then I did not go far from home - just a turn around the neighbourhood when I was done with that.
Red berries in the old cemetery;
their name unknown to me.
Before that, my laundry afternoon was a somewhat spooky adventure this week, though. First of all, the lights in the (windowless) basement corridor weren't working. They're of the kind that are supposed to come on automatically when sensing movement - but yesterday only the one just opposite the lift (elevator) was functioning... It was ok inside the laundry room itself, though.
When I got back up to my flat, I made an online report of that, and also a separate report of having noted that the dustpan was missing from the laundry room cleaning equipment.
Next time I got down, both brooms had disappeared as well! So then I thought okay, someone must have borrowed them all temporarily... (Why first only the dustpan, and then also the brooms, still mystifies me, though!)
However, when I got back down the last time to collect my final load from the drier, all three cleaning tools had been replaced. It was not the same old ones that had been put back, though, but different ones. Definitely not brand new (very far from) - but also definitely not the same ones. I can only presume that the service staff must be keeping a secret stack of old runaway brooms and dustpans somewhere and circulate them when needed...
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