Tuesday 1st February 2022

A new month. A month nearer spring and warm weather.

Although, if I'm honest, winter has been pretty mild and dry so far. That could change, of course. But the garden is full of sprouting spring bulbs, and it all looks very healthy indeed.

I am still checking each day for any wild flowers in bloom in the lawnmeadow or spawn in the pond, and thus far, nothing.

I have the second day of the audit to look forward to. I am working under my friend, Henrik, who is lead auditor, so I just have to stay awake and answer the occasional question or even ask on from time to time.

It was going to be another wonderful sunny day outside, and me stuck inside once again.

So it goes, so it goes.

Jools left for work, I made second and third coffee and had some toast. It helped.

Helped in what I don't know, but it helped.

I am at work at seven, and doing some admin before the audit starts.

And here we go, eyes down, starter for ten.

The day crawls, I won't lie. Being in support means my contribution is small, and so my attention wanders.

A lot.

Morning turns into afternoon, we have an hours break, I go into the garden to snap something, anything. Then have some toast before the charade begins again at one.

And by the time we are done for the day, it ten past four, its getting dark and I have a gallon of gumbo to finish off.

And that's that.

An accident on the Deal road meant Jools had to come home along the cliffs, traffic was bad, but she was home by six. By which point the gumbo was hot and spicy and the rice cooked.

I serve it in bowls, rice, gumbo and liquor. Yummy. Made spicier by the smoked chipotle spice from Canada!

And again, we were done, all cleared away and pots of gumbo to freeze for another day.

Time for coffee, and relaxation before off to bed to read. Although Poppy complained I wasn't laying down and climbed over me until I turned over to sleep.