Costly Mistake

Despite my hopes after last night's red skies - and last night's clear and starlit ones - this morning started off grey, cold and drizzly once again. Bella snoozed her way through the morning while I did some preparation for the coming week's teaching.

Confession time - for some reason on Friday I filled up the van with unleaded petrol instead of diesel. When we came to go out in it yesterday, it wouldn't start and I suddenly realised why (so we went on our jaunt in the car rather than waste the day in sorting out the van in such lovely weather). Today I rang up and arranged to get it sorted (for a hefty price, of course - ouch!) and in due course this van arrived…

…and proceeded to pump out my fuel tank into a tank in their van. 

Then a couple of gallons of diesel in the fuel tank once it was emptied. Now, when the ignition was turned on the van started - albeit a bit smokily for a few minutes. A costly mistake indeed as I still had to fill the fuel tank up again! Moral of the tale - concentrate when filling up! 

After this, I took Bella out for an afternoon walk in the cold mist/fog - misty valley was certainly that today. 

Further round the hill, the mist was thick and spooky.

Further round and down the hill, some evidence of clearing up after the boulder came crashing down the hillside before Christmas. 

In celebration of the van actually going again, we went into town for our monthly pilgrimage to Dynasty, the Chinese restuarant, for a dim sum lunch. After many years, the menu has got smaller and they have introduced quite a few new dishes, as well as keeping quite a few of our old favourites. Delicious as ever. Afterwards, we roamed around the Chinese supermarket downstairs and admired some of the items on sale, like this "vegetarian ground fried fish".

It's Chinese New Year next weekend so lots of celebratory stuff on sale as well, including this "laptop". 

New Year wouldn't be complete without some large denomination banknotes to burn. 

This day a year ago, it was still cold, bright and sunny. Misty Valley was misty then, but in a more visible fashion than today.