Thursday 21st January 2021

It is now a month since the winter equinox when there is the most darkness and least light. On the 21st January, there was 3 minutes more daylight than on the 20th, and so with each passing day there is more light than previous, and at a slightly increasing amount, until we pass March 21st, when although there is more light each day, the rate decreases.

All this means that there is now the hint of dawn on a clear morning, away to the south east, earlier and earlier. Although, not at five when the alarm goes off, but on working days, it is not quite dark at five when Jools finishes work.

But that will come soon enough.

But not yet.

However, it is her last working day of the week, while I wait for news on the merger, the expected news on Wednesday didn’t arrive, and as it turned out, I’d been given duff information, in that there would b no news this week either.

So it goes, so it goes.

You know the score by now, so after Jools had gone for her walk, she leaves for work, I put out the bins, and get ready for the early meeting, where we confirm that there is no news, no gossip. But some Danish colleagues would be told on Friday if there was no place for them in the new company.

We all hold our breath for another day.

As it was a fine morning, with rain and wind expected later, I decide to go for a walk after the morning meeting, saying to my boss I needed some air. She said to fill my boots.

As it had been raining a lot this week, choosing a dry route was trick, so I walk to the end of the street, and up Station Road, turning down the first lane, past the war memorial to the crashed B17.

Along the track, there was mud, but if you were careful you could avoid it. Away to the south, the sun rose but was hidden behind a huge bak of cloud, bit the morning light gave it a literal silver lining.

I took shots.

And, like magic, the sun came out, and the scene changed, drob muted tones to glorious technicolor, like landing in Oz.

I could see the path getting muddier, so I turn for home, cutting down to Hardy Avenue, then to Collingwood, and finally down the path, checking on the patch of comfrey, to home just in time to take the just emptied bins back down the drive, before the wind got up and sent them scuttling towards Kingsdown.

I log back into Outlook, and there was no mail.

In fact I had nothing to deal with for 48 hours. It was almost like being on holiday, except you wonder if people were avoiding you because you know you had been selected for the boot.

But no news.

I had breakfast of fruit, and a third coffee.

I watch a video of a train travelling to Machu Pichu, along an impossibly deep gorge. Somewhere else to go when the madness ends.

I have lunch of club sandwich filly with mayo, ham, and cheese. I know how to live.

And into the afternoon where nothing happened.

I spend the afternoon making butternut squash soup with spicy potato bread, that takes most of the rest of the afternoon. It seems the company could do without me. I pour some wine.

The soup is wonderful, the bread even better, and all is ready to eat as Jools arrives back home at half five.

We eat most of the soup, and all of the bread.

Somehow its half six, so we tidy up, and make coffee which we enjoy with fine chocolate from Marks and Spencer, and its not as good as Tescos.

Harsh, but true.

And then there is yet more football: Liverpool v Burnley, which is the shock of the season ends in a 1-0 win to Burnley, thus ending Liverpool’s 68 match unbeaten run at home.

Well.