Friday 5th July 2016

It is amazing how coming home on a Thursday rather than a Friday can improve one's health and wellbeing. I say this on Saturday afternoon, and two good night's sleep and I don't feel quite so crap as I did Thursday. I am on my second of 5 days at home, and enjoying it. Obviously.

In a perfect world, I would have laid in med until midday, drinking tea brought to me by the cats, but as it was, there was work to be done, so once Jools had gotten up, I could hear her making coffee, which was my alarm call, or signal to get up at least.

The wind of the previous night had died, and it was a glorious morning, with butterflies already flocking to the garden. I drink my coffee whilst Jools rushes around, and once she goes I do chores; put bird food out, have breakfast and the usual stuff. Anyway, the plan was hang the washing out, but Kay came round to warn us that they had the builders in, and there would be a lot of dust through the day. The wall of their house faces out living room, and the prevailing wind and rain hammers down on it, so that over a number of years the mortar was washed out from between the bricks, to the extent that some bricks are being held in place with hope. This is not being addressed, with their builder grinding out most of the old stuff before replacing it. So, there's dust. A lot of dust.

I get down to work, and all was going well until lunchtime when I get the spots in my vision which indicates a migraine is coming. I fire off two or three final e mails and finish for the day at one. Just in time.

I lay on the sofa, listening to the radio very quietly with my eyes closed. The afternoon passes.

Jools has gone to a fencing showroom, to look for a cabin-cum-shelter for the garden, all part of a plan to tidy up the garden. This will include the final installation of the "Footballer's Wives" illuminated fountain which we bought at least two years ago and has remained in the box it came in whilst we thought about what to do with the garden. But now, plans are afoot.

Anyway, more of that as things and work progresses.

Jools comes home, she says she is hungry, so we had dinner at five, insalata caprese, fresh bread and red wine. Oh my word, with the fresh basil, Balsamic Vinegar and virgin olive oil, it really is a wonderfully simple meal.

There is the welcome return of The Don at half eight, and then a fine documentary on Scottish wildlife. Really its "just" winderful photography, but being so simple, it was perfect. And narrated by Ewan McGregor too.