What a grotty day.  I managed to get up early and was out and about by 06-45am.  It was cold but dry.  A beautiful red sky, the best indicator of a good day to come, was fleshing out over the hills.  We've started to use a new route and the dog has soon learnt the route.  We now cross the field immediately after the bridge and drop down onto the old Cardiff Road.  Here we generally bump into Don and his dog (he only has the one now).  We pass the time of day and discuss generally; Don is into local politics and keen to know any local developments.  He's critical of the wave of Post Office closures but aren't we all.

       I leave Don by the cemetery gate; this is as far as his dog wants to go.  We continue up to the dual carriageway.  Here, the traffic at this time of the morning, is horrendous.  Luckily we have only a few paces along the verge before we turn off and onto another footpath.  This one takes us over the field at the top of the cemetery.  It's quiet again.  Sometimes we see rabbits; I have seen the odd fox. They say it was a good field for gathering mushrooms but I can't say that I've seen enough to make a fuss about.  There's a couple of horses; they're curious enough to come close, and appreciate the odd pat but the dog isn't keen so I don't encourage them.  If you lean over the wall, you can check on recent burials.  It's kinda sad looking at the lonely graves.  They leave the flowers on the mound for a while.  Some graves are smothered in colour whilst others have floral tributes depicting names: Dad, Mum, Nan, Gran.  The graveyard is kept very tidy; I wouldn't mind some sort of tribute for me when the time comes which I hope isn't just yet.

There's no new inhabitants.  The stile at the other end takes us back onto the cemetery road.  Sometimes we meet up with Rod and Graham but today they're in the distance so we walk up to LJs and back.  It's coming light enough to recognise the birds.  I know some by their call but not many.  Yesterday I saw a nuthatch whilst over the bridge there are always a pair of dippers doing their dance or 'dipping in and out of the rushing water.  There's signs of fish life again; only a couple of ripples, but I didn't see them through the Summer so it's good to know there still around.  Back onto the road and the traffic is picking up.  That walk past Hunter's Gate is always cold; it must be something to do with the valley effect of the railway embankment and the houses, anyway the wind don't have howl through; it encourages you to pick the pace up.  Suki is walking a lot better; maybe it's because we've had her trimmed or it maybe those remedial chews we've started to get for her.  She's certainly picked the pace up recently and today she pulls round to see the chickens.  This means me diverting and going down towards the new road.  A kissing gate then takes us up what was the Rhiwsaeson road.  The Rees have land here and keep chickens ducks and lambs.  It's fascinating to watch the chickens dig for worms and the ducks usually run over to see what we have for them.  Across the main road again and home.  I can't eat breakfast today so I shower then drive to the University.

We have a test in English today.  It wasn't as bad as I thought though I did rush so that I could get back to take the lotion ready for tomorrow's exam.  Got back home just after 10.00.  I should have taken that lotion at 0-700 but... anyway it worked well and I spent the next two hour=rs on the toilet.  I'm going to take the other bottle now.  I'll report back tomorrow.