Wednesday 28th December 2016

And despite working at least some of each day, except Christmas Day, I am now at the point at guessing what day it is. I mean it could be Wednesday, but just as well be Sunday. Who knows and who cares? Only those who have to earn a crust at this time of year. And for me, even if I do, it just means changing seats at the dining room table to look at a different computer screen.

We get up just before seven, and dawn is making its way over the sky from the eat. There has been a very deep hoar frost, and all the cars on the street look like they have white ten o'clock shadows. Just as well we don't have to go out until later.

There is breakfast, and another coffee, and then I can work. First of all find where my minions are, as they have failed to tell me when hey were returning. Turns out they were working, and seemed a little ticked off I wasn't happy with them for not informing me when they got back. We exchange curt mails, but then I am the boss and mostly right.

And after reading and responding to mails received, I can get down to the main job for the day; renaming files and creating sub-folders to put them in. The job had to be done and took three hours. But at the end, I know it was worth it, even if no one will ever look at the files again.

Lunch come round, and we have cold turkey rolls. There is still a LOT of turkey and stuffing left. But that's OK, as we like both.

We have bird seed to get. And with work quiet, I go out with Jools to Carlton Place, with Christmas over, its not so crazy down there, and it means we can go to Morrison's for food on the trip tomorrow. At least that was the plan.

I go to the pet shop, and Jools goes to get her Japan shots printed, and we both think the others' job will take ages, so we each go round the store buying food for the trip. We meet after each of us has paid, and each carrying a bag full of food. We will not starve. In fact, we have so much we eat some for dinner that night and still have enough, more than enough for the trip.

On the way back, we go down the Bay, I was hoping to try out the revamped Coastguard Inn, but with the weather so splendid, the car park for the pub and along the prom was packed. A little sunshine brings people out. And in the suntrap that is the bay, and in the lea of the cliffs, it felt downright warm in the afternoon sunshine.

I walk down into the shadow to take a snap of the cliff rearing up, then back to Ian Fleming's house with the old cliff fall behind. Jools sits on the beach just enjoying being out on such a fine day.

There is another part of the documentary on the wildlife of New Zealand; penguins nesting in woods, kiwis on the beach and a snail that eats worms like spaghetti.

Another days draws to an end, maybe sunset coming a minute later than the day before, but it is a start, and spring is on its way.

We have warmed up Indian snacks for dinner, and a beer, and somehow the evening slips away, and with an early start in the morning, we go to bed at half nine, and already outside there is another thick frost.