Tuesday 26th March 2019

There never is enough sleep, is there?

And now that the mornings are so light, the blackbirds outside the hotel window, and the crows in the tree opposite, are beginning their greetings to the new day before five in the New Forest.

I lay awake, more than enough time to just ponder what is to come.

I am down in the restaurant for seven, the only one in as usual, order my usual coffee and toast and watch another golden morning begin in the well-kept garden outside.

Another fine drive to the power station, more donkeys seen on the road into the village, I manage to avoid hitting them and am away over the moors to the coast.

I have 45 minutes in which to catch up on mails and tasks, before the others arrive and we go out to begin another hard day's inspecting.

As usual, I am outside the blade, so alternate between ready from the book and watching the blades being moved around. I really wish you could see what I see, two frames on wheels lift the 81m long blades up and move them around, each frame being controlled by remote. It's like ballet, but with jumbo wings.

We stop for coffee, and again for lunch, so by three we were done. I send more mails, and we finish for the day, with they heading back to Southampton, and me back to the New Forest.

The bright day had cleared and got warmer, so I dove through Beaulieu and out the other side, along a meandering road to Brokenhurst, through the narrow town centre to the heath beyond, where I spy a tree in a pool of water; reflections, I think. So I find a place to park, wander over to take many shots Just a shame I did not have my big cameras with me.

I get shots of the tree, and of ponies scattered over the heath in the late afternoon sunshine. It is like being on holiday.

I make my way back to the hotel, where I wander along the mere to witness the sunset and maybe take some shots.

Back to the hotel and enough time for a brew before going to Monty's for my last meal there: lamb, charred root vegetables and half a carafe of house red.

That hit the spot.

I am reading when a party of loud retired Americans come in and fill the room with banal conversation. I pay the bill and take my leave of them.

Back in my room I listen to some music, do some writing before my tired eyes have had enough, so I go to bed.