Let there be light!

We've been in our present house now for two years and next week will see the start of what, we hope, will be our final alteration. The kitchen is awash with light fittings, five different sets of ceiling lights along with under, over and in cupboard lights. But I would like to be able to see what I'm doing in the kitchen without having to flick a switch. The eating and seating areas are fine with good sources of daylight, but the working end is gloomy, impossible to do anything without putting on the lights, certainly not the conditions in which to be yielding my extremely sharp cook's knife!

On the single storey part of the ceiling, seen below, we are going to have a couple of Velux windows fitted. I'm hoping they will throw some natural light into the working part of the room. I'm busy clearing cupboards ready for the workmen to swing into action on Monday morning!

A photo of the creel above the Aga, a great spot for airing the washing.

Happily the weather report for the week to come seems to be mild and dry. Phew, that's a relief! We've been to the beach this week in just that sort of weather, a quiet sea and no breeze, lovely to be out.

Probably because we have had no cold snap there doesn't seem to be so much autumn colour this year. Much of the garden is still quite green. I've planted all my bulbs in pots but kept them in the tiny greenhouse because there are so many squirrels about. I planted a row of peas on the allotment and an old codger (with the most fantastice plot) said, "the mice will love those!"

Just a bit of colour here and there.