Friday 1st January 2021

I should have added yesterday. Last year. That I had hit the wine rather hard.

Before, during and after dinner.

And a big glass to toast in the New Year at midnight.

So, I had a head when I woek up at half seven, just six hours after we had gone to bed.

Urgh.

I get up, and there was a coffee waiting. That helped.

This wasn't a full on hangover, but a red wine-induced woolly head.

Only bacon could save the day. So I grill three thick rashers each, and brew the kettle for huge brews.

I felt better, but the plan for a New Year's Plant Hunt was never really on, even when the sun broke through just after lunch. I really should have taken us out, or me at least, but my heart wasn't it it. Neither was Jools' to be honest.

We put the TV on to watch the New Year's Concert from Vienna. It looked the same, sounded the same, but at the end of each piece, there was no applause, as the Musikverein contained no audience.

The concert bult towards its usual climax, An der schönen blauen Donau and then, the Radetzky March; heard for the first time in decades without the clapping of the audience, as Joseph Roth intended.

I cooked lucnh/dinner afterwards: yet more fritters, this time with a further pinch of chilli flakes and a shake of cayenne papper to really pep them up.

The sun was hidden behind clouds, dusk fell, and Jools sat down to watch the latest Dr Who episode. I gave up on the reboots after two or three shows a decade or so back, but its harmless stuff, really.

We have a brew and a slice of Christmas Cake for supper.

And the day ended with Man Utd v Villa in the Prem, and a good game ended 2-1 to Utd, but was very enjoyable.