Thursday 2nd December 2021

Welcome to Thursday.

And a day that actually promised sunshine. And meetings.

Meetings in which we were promised clarity, and yet, none came.

I looked out the back door once I was up and saw that the sky was covered in cloud, and yet when dawn began to show, a keen northerly swept the clouds away until we were left with clear skies.

But cold.

Jools leaves for work, I make coffee, play some music while I set up the laptop and check mails. Nothing exciting, just confirmation of the trip cancelation.

The sun rises at about half seven, soon filling the room at the back of the house with golden light, it was going to be a fine day.

I make breakfast, and listen to the latest in our department meeting whilst eating a bowl of fruit.

I have another long meeting, talk for two hours, and I realise the day is getting away, it was past lunchtime and the shadows lengthening, if I wanted to get out, I had better make it now.

So I do.

Just the usual, really. Walk along the street, then up to Collingwood and down the smaller Dip, then up to Windy Ridge.

Muddier now, very muddy in places, but I get through, and walk beside the wood. Just birds to see, a few brave late flowers, so much so I don't take the macro now, just the nifty fifty.

Fed up with the mud, I walk down past the old farm at Windy Ridge, then back along the lower track, managing to get past the ankle deep puddles that the occasional traffic had made deeper.

Horses looked on, decide I wasn't going to provide them with food, so they carry on nibbling the short turf, wrapped in muddy blankets.

Trees are mostly skeletons now, jagged bones reaching into the sky, some full of ivy round their trunks and larger branches, casting stark shadows against the clear blue sky.

I get home for one last check of the mails before it is time for the big presentation. The big cheeses from various technical departments to discuss the findings of an audit, or series of audits I had done.

I am told I did a good job and the report is good, we will meet again in three months to discuss progreass.

It was four, getting dark, so I pack away my computer, make a brew before making fritters, which seem to be a Thursday thing. I feel worn out, though not having done a lot of what you might call hard work, just tired in my head.

Jools to call to say she was late leaving work, and there was heavy traffic, which allows me to catch up with preparations, and once she is back home I begin cooking, filling the house with fine smells.

Every batch is different. These had more lemon juice as the mix was dry, so have a tartness which is nice, and mixes well with the garlic mayo.

And that was that. Seven by the time we finish, and put stuff away. A coffee, and then it was half seven.

Yet more football to watch, Spurs v someone, then Man Utd v Arsenal. Or the first half of the first game then all of the second. Entertaining enough, but glad when finished so I could go to bed, having watched the said football.