Tuesday 12th December 2017

The day started clear but cold. I managed to sleep through the alarm, meaning I woke when Jools was putting the finishing touches to the first coffee of the day.

The evening before, we had spent an hour deciding who to write Christmas cards for, and so I said I would take them to the post box to post. But with yet more rain expected during the day, I thought I would go before I started work, thus staying dry, if slipping and sliding on the walk back from Collingwood.

I put on my trainers and pulled on my old favourite coat, picked up the cards and set off. ALl above me, the sky was pink as sunrise neared. People were out, scraping the windscreens on their cars; at least with the car port Jools doesn't have to do that. I stopped to take a shot down Station Road towards the church, then scuttled back home where I thought I deserved a second coffee of the day.

Back home I do make that coffee, have breakfast and begin work. And so the madness begins. Only this day I have four hours of meetings to look forward to in the afternoon.

I better have some more coffee to stay awake.

I have lunch at ten, and am eating more fruit by midday, then time to get a coffee in ready for the first meeting.

That is followed by two more, and once they are all done, it is four in the afternoon, and I am shattered, and I have done nothing!

And for dinner we are having pizza. Shop pizza that takes ten minutes in the oven, so there is time to talk once Jools gets home before we can eat and listen to ISIHAC, which is always a pleasure.

For the evening's entertainment, there is football on the wireless. Nothing more, nothing less. But it passes the time, though Jools goes upstairs to watch Hinterland (don't ask me) on her tablet.