Not today’s clouds, there are none, but those I saw yesterday afternoon when I went for a wheelie in my chair. I almost did not go anywhere yesterday afternoon. After our midday sleep Mr. Swiss announced he still has to get the shopping in town, just a few bits and pieces. He now has a new mobile phone and spent the morning in the shop getting it to work. Apparently the new chip he had received was damaged and it was replaced, free of charge.

Afternoons I like to enjoy the summer weather on a trip in my wheelchair, but up to now Mr. Swiss had always helped me out of the door of the appartment block as it can get quite complicated. I was determined not to stay at home so I did it all by myself. Of course it was not so straightforward, but I discovered it works quite well. I am glad, because now I am really free and no longer have to depend on someone to be there. It is a matter of being patient and taking your time. I had to organise my walking stick to fit into the holder on the chair and prop the main door open so that I could get out. Afterwards close it all again, but it worked. I just had to get out of the chair now and again to organise it all. It is funny how these things can give you a feeling of satisfaction.

So where did I go? I was naturally headed to my stork nest to see how they had survived after the storm. I took the route via the local castle, as it was quicker. A straight path uphill and paved, meant I could switch the speedy gear on, the one where I could get fined for speeding in a wheelchair. I noticed there were two cars parked at the end of the path in front of the castle gates.

It is June and wedding time and every bride that marries in our area has to have a wedding photo taken outside the castle, sometimes even in the castle gardens, it is very popular. So the Bentley, decorated with the wedding flowers, was ready. The bride stood in front and her photographer took the photo. They realised that there was a second photographer taking a photo of the scene, but I could not let this one escape my camera lens. I can imagine the bride going through her wedding album in 40 years showing the photos to her grandchildren.

I moved on, it was stork time.

I reached the nest perched up on its tower supplied by the local authorities and was relived to see that it had survived the storm we had last week. Mother and baby were in the nest, but what did I see. A second head popped up from the depths of the nest  and now I am confused. Was this mum and dad stork and one baby, or mum stork and two babies. Eggs come seldom alone I supposed and the second stork seemed to be too small to be an adult. As I was taken my many photos of the storks I was joined by an elderly lady with a walker who said yes, there were two babies. A younger lady also joined us on the stork watching, and a group of young people arrived clicking away with their mobile telephone cameras. It was quite a stork watching afternoon.

I moved on to the stables which is gradually becoming an animal farm with the horses, ducks, ibex, chickens and swans and took a few photos. The pony was the only horse there. I think they go for rides with the other horses in the afternoon.

I decided it was time for home, and took the path through the cemetery which is quite comfortable to wheel on. I was away for two hours and decided if I managed to escape on my own, I would return through the doors on my own, and it worked. Mr. Swiss was surprised when I entered the apartment without having to beckon him by phone to open the doors for me.

I now had to prepare the evening meal, no problem for an accomplished housewife like myself and caught up on a few computer things. Afterwards I had 92 photos to upload, but was finished some time in the early evening. This was a fun afternoon, and now I can do it all on my own. I will leave you with some roses (and poppies in the background) I saw on my wheelie. Have a good day everyone and make the most of it.