Firstly - thanks to all those who sent birthday cards a good wishes. Another year older, only two years until I'm 70 which somehow is significant. I found birthdays quite depressing.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/YSP-Ai-WaiWaioct17.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4592" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/YSP-Ai-WaiWaioct17-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>I visited <a href="https://ysp.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yorkshire Sculpture Park </a>with a friend and we had a pleasant day, the weather was excellent, managing to sit outside on the cafe balcony for morning coffee and lunch.

It's always fascinating to wander around and get up close to the sculptures whether it is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Moore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Henry Moore</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Frink" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elizabeth Frink</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Hepworth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbara Hepworth</a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ai_Weiwei" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ai WeiWei</a>. In the past it has been possible to touch many of the installations but at the moment there are ropes around some of them.

It was such a sunny day I managed to drive all the way home with the roof down - glorious.

During the week I had Martin and Kate (Bulgaria now Portugal family contingent) staying with me which was a pleasant change from an empty house and enjoy acting as host, whether it's cooking the evening meal or simply serving toast and marmalade for breakfast.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/bday-cakeoct17.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4591" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/bday-cakeoct17-200x150.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></a>I was lucky enough to get two cakes for my birthday: Sue made a beautiful chocolate cake and Lucie produced a great carrot cake.

The family (9 in attendance) had lunch at Market Rasen Golf Club and a good time was had by all or at least that was what they said. The next time we will all be together again is at the family holiday in Norfolk next May.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/leaf-pilesoct17.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4593" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/leaf-pilesoct17-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>It's Autumn so the leaves are now falling in masses every day. It's been windy so that has increased the drop. On Friday I took 5 bags of leaves to the tip (run out of space to compost them) and I filled them all again when I got back.

To hand scrape the lawns takes two hours - it's all good exercise.