Tuesday 31st January 2023

The last day of January, and what turned out the best day's work I have had in the two years, 24 months, 104 weeks since the merger.

Sadly, I can't talk to much about it as to why it was so good, but my boss called afterwards and said I had done a good job, and maybe this is the corner being turned.

I hope so.

Before that was the morning, lunchtime and early afternoon.

Jools was away to work early as she had Monday off, so it was just me and the cats once again, and they went to bed by the time I had drained my first cup of java.

There was a podcast to listen to, so that distracted me until dawn began to show, though our plan to go and do some green comet hunting was thwarted due to cloud rolling over covering the sky before the moon set. We had to wait until that, as the moon is three quarters full, and its light would have made seeing the comet would have been impossible until the moon set. And on Wednesday we would have less than an hour between the even fuller moon setting and dawn starting.

Maybe we will be able to see it in the early evenings next week, if the comet survives its close encounter with the sun on Wednesday.

I set up the office and log on, checking my mails and replying to those I can.

I have breakfast, and spy a pack of oatcakes that Jools left out by mistake. No misake they're mine now, so butter all eight of them, put a dollop of marmalade on four then make four mini sandwiches, which I each with a fresh cup of coffee.

Last day of January, and it really is beginning to look a lot like Spring.

I had to go to the post office, so went the long way round via The Dip, mainly to look for Lesser Celandines along Kingsdown Road, but none seen.

And although it might look like spring, it was bracing and chilly in a keen breeze.

But 9,000 steps done, and letter posted along with a dozen eggs bought. So, not a total loss.

That and a Spurge Laurel seen in flower and some of the usual suspects.

I wasn't hunting for bird's eggs. Not wild birds anyway, but needed eggs for cooking and so on at home, so I thought that having a reason to go out would make me more likely to actually do it.

Which is what happened.

At least it started out being sunny, but clouds swept in from the west, the sun went in, and it got very chilly. But by that time I was at the top of Kingsdown Road and nearly at the shop.

I bought eggs, Moroccan vegetable pasty, crisps, a Ritter bar and an ice cream, the latter to eat and watch people park.

And judge their parking (in)abilities.

Then be left with a walk down and up Station Road to home.

Happy Days.

Once inside I pop the pasty in the oven, and once warm make that vanish along with the bag of sint n vinegar crisps.

This is the life.

Then it was time for the big meeting. I did my presentation, then was in the position of telling by betters what they had to do.

Nice.

Once the excitement had died down, it was three and time to pack up for the day, have a shower.

I had done my walk for the day, so watched darkness fall outside, though it was quarter past five until it was proper evening. I failed to notice as by that time I was making cornbread to go with the crispbakes and stir fry which we had once Jools returned home.

We had the Ritter chocolate bar (dark chocolate and whole hazlenuts) before Scully called me to the sofa to watch the football.

Yes boss.