Thursday 24th March 2022

Some 37 years ago I was at Wembley watching Norwich win something. 37 years before that was 1948. Sometimes I feel old. I can remember Granddad talking about Norwich's cup run in 1959, pictures in books and magazines made that seem like it took place in a different cuntury, instead it was less than 25 years before. Now, I am older than my Grandfather was then.

I am old.

And yet, young enough to get out and about, and laugh with deligt when I see the year's first Orange Tip butterfly, which I did this day.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.

Thursday: a day nearer the weekend and no work.

Jools is still being pushed to the limit by work, and I have stuff to do, but its mainly thinking for me. Which I do while staring out the window, which is just as well.

The day begins with me sleeping through the alarm and waking up only when Jools came back to have a shower. Even then it took 15 minutes to wake up.

She left for work, and I had some toast and a coffee before thinking about work for the day.

Each day is a step forward with a step backwards, sometimes on the same day. I am tld things will get better. In truth that has been said for a year now, it might actually happen this time.

THe cats are generally happy, and when I take time to sit on the bench underneath the kitchen window, I am joined by Mulder and Scully who seem very happy to have me out there. And for a short time, get what it is like to have them dote on her for 23 hours a day.

I was sitting outside having a coffee and telling Scully how fine she looked stretched out in the sunshine, when Bev next door told me to look at the tree at the end of their garden to see an owl.

An owl.

But not just any owl, this was a Barn Owl. I had my camera just behind e, I went to get it, but before I could raise it to my eye, the owl flew off.

Still, a freaking owl in our garden. Or in the garden next to it.

I look at the tree each time I go back out, but the owl doesn't return, sadly.

My back was giving me gip, so I have a break from walking, and instead pick up the edges cut from beside the path, put them in the bag of garden waste, and sweep the dust off.

Nearly as good as new.

The other task was to make chilli.

I haven't made chilli for years, but I had found some ancient mince in the freezer in the shed, so last week got some kidney beans and all was set I also have a huge range of hot spices and sauces.

I brown onions, then the mince.

Add the beans to the pan, a pint of stock too.

Then have to transfer it to the huge pan before adding the tinned tomatoes.

Finally add spices and splashes of sauces. Brought to the boil, then simmered for five hours until it had boiled down to a sludge. With beans.

It was most fine.

I boiled some rice, so when Jools came home after battling traffic to the port, I was dishing up.

And it was good, even on a warm evening. Spicy enough to tickly my nose and cause sneezes, but not too hot to be torture.

For the evening there was international football: Wales v Austria, for a play off final place, and Wales won, just. But just was enough.