Thursday 16th January 2020

It is now over four weeks since the winter equinox, and yet it seems there is little more daylight each passing day. But there is. Maybe a minute each day for now, but that will get more and more. We just have to be patient. Spring and summer are coming. But in their own time.

Our garden is full of the green shoots of new life. There are buds too on the shrubs and bushes. All looking very springlike, and doubly so when the sun shines. But we could yet still have snow and frosts. Though writing this on another sunny, spring-like afternoon, that seems unlikely.

And, it would be easy to say "ooh, me back hurts, I'll skip phys today". But I don't, I tell my back to man up, and once Jools has left and I have put the bins out, I go up to do some phys, another 20 minutes whilst listening to the wireless. Not as good as the i pod, but still, distracting enough. So much so that I had done 13 minutes before I looked at the timer.

I get to work, and find another day had gone by with no e mails coming in overnight. This is the new normal? So, best get used to it. I have a shower, have breakfast and get down to some admin: travel expenses.

And then onto work. Whilst listening to the radio.

Play that funky music, wide boy.....

I have lunch, drink coffee. Drink tea. The day fades, and so before dusk, I go into the garden to cut the raspberry canes down. This enables new shoots to grow and fill with fruit this year. I might have left it too late again, but I did see the first green shoots of the new season, starting to poke above the cold, damp soil. Heck, I even tidy up, but the cuttings in the waste bag, put the tools away after cleaning and lock the shed.

I have grown up, then tell myself a fart joke and giggle, meaning I won't grow up after all.

The birds had been chirping at me to leave the garden heck alone, and once I am inside, I see the birds arriving from bushes and trees all around for one last meal before darkness.

Once work is done and my stuff put away, I start compiling a list of the churches to visit this year, from ones on my most wanted list, and those in the listed building list I have, to come up with 50 or so churches to visit through the year. Seems achievable.

I prepare dinner; pasta cabonara; I fry the bacon, separated the egg yolks, make the garlic bread, all ready for when Jools comes home: boil the pasta, add that to the bacon with some water, add the yolks, and serve.

And that is that. Another day done.

We listen to the radio, drink some coffee, until nine. Then read until our eyes droop.

Good night.