Thursday 13th September 2018

It's beginning to feel a lot like autumn.

It is dark and cold in the mornings. Not for long, on bright days the sun rises away in the east and chases to chills away.

It is Thursday already, a day of early meetings and endless explanations, then scrambling to get back on track as the day careers out of control towards afternoon.

But it is Friday tomorrow, gives up hope to face anything.

In fact, I am in a good mood, despite a crap night's sleep on Wednesday, thanks to Scully jumping on the bed and snuggling up next to ne, vibrating so much with purring that she kept me awake, and then my mind started at 100mph. Nothing I am worrying about to be honest, but I lay in bed from three until just before half five, so I get up to feed the cats and make breakfast.

I am also mixing the last of the Christmas cakes too before breakfast; the dried fruit have been soaking on cognac for 2 days and will be proper boozy by now. Can't wait to eat that one! I am well drilled now, and the cake in all in the lined tin and in the oven by twenty to seven, meaning it will be done at ten past eleven. Now for breakfast. But not before licking the wooden spoon and bowl clean, as it the cook's privilege.

So, cognac infused cake mixture, all before breakfast. And was great too, and mine, all mine.

Lunch comes and goes, and things quieten down in the afternoon, I listen to music as I keep an eye on my inbox. All seems under control, which is the point I usually start worrying in case I forgot something.

Half four come round, and I really should go out for a walk, but with not having enough sleep, I bail on the idea, but do some stuff in the garden, feed the cats and begin to prepare more aubergine to go with the small mountain of pasta salad that is still left.

And that is it, much the same as the day before; listen to the radio while I write and edit.

We go out to the garden for a small bonfire, just to see sparks rise to the darkening sky. I am in pyro duty, so I light the kindling, and soon the fire is roaring. But after a few facefulls of smoke, I begin to cough and then sneeze. It seems I now have an allergy to bonfires, on top of everything else. And once indoors it was a read serious attack. So I took two allergy pills go to lay on the bed and wait for the sneezing to subside. And it does.

And bed at nine as I am shattered, the badger was already outside, feasting on peanuts and not bothered as I watch him snuffle from just a few feet away.

In three weeks we shall be packed and ready for our next big adventure!