Too many shades of grey

Wake around six thirty, it is still dark outside, misty and raining steadily. I let Norman into the garden and then make breakfast for the two of us. We settle down to our full English and then retire to the garden room where I read the Guardian while drinking my tea. After showering and dressing, we leave for Cherry just as the rain starts to ease. We collect the terriers, drive to the Westwood and park down Newbald Road on the hard standing, where Roy's sandwich bar is normally parked at weekends. After crossing the road into the woods, I let Teddy and Norman off the lead, The rain has given way to a fine drizzle that is drifting onshore on an easterly breeze. It is still quite mild, but I have to stop and wipe my glasses every few minutes in order to be able to see. The dogs don't seem to care and Norman and Teddy are soon exploring the woods. The going underfoot is soggy and heavy, until we come out onto the common, where the drainage is better. I feel tired today and can't make my mind up whether something is amiss, or it is just a consequence of the grey skies. In any event I decide to persevere and we continue our way up to Burton Bushes and then walk through the wood. There are fungi everywhere, clusters of toadstools on the floor and spectacular displays of orange tree fungi on old dead stumps. We get back to the car for a quarter to twelve and drive back via Walkington Manor, where I buy some potatoes and onions from the farm shop for lunch. We arrive home, in Tickton, just after Noon and then start to prepare lunch. It doesn't take long, I dip the lambs livers in flour and then fry them gently with onions, while I heat some spinach and cook a couple of potatoes in the microwave. The liver makes a nice change, and is very cheap, as younger people don't seem to eat offal much any more. After lunch we sleep for an hour, to preserve our strength, before driving into Beverley to collect Louis from Saint Mary's. We park at Tesco's and then walk the half mile to the school. Louis arrives without his swimming togs and has to go back to the classroom to fetch them. It is only when we arrive home, and I take his coat off, that we discover he has left his sweater in the classroom. If my memory serves me correctly, Clement was about eight before he regularly came home with all his things. Louis gets his crayons out and colours, while I make his tea, the usual ante pasta, but with apple pie and custard to follow. He finishes his meal, we feed Norman and then take him down to the bridge. On the way back, Louis plays on the split willow that he has nicknamed, "the pirate ship". It is then time for his swimming lessons and so we drive to the leisure centre, where we are forced to park on the field at the rear of the pool. Miraculously I deliver him to his instructor right on time, then buy myself a cup of cocoa and settle down to watch his lesson. He is very competitive and is more concerned with being the first across the pool than following instructions too closely. Sarah arrives at ten to six, the NHS has extended her temporary contract by a further two weeks and she needs me to help with Louis during half term. It is agreed he will come to me on Monday and Tuesday of next week as Sarah has to work, although she has holiday Wednesday through to Friday. They plan to visit Clement in London. On my way home I call to see Felicity, she says she feels well, but like me feels tired. We chat for half an hour and she tells me Barbara English has to have a hysterectomy. Barbara is one of our Poppy Seed cafe friends and in her early seventies, so will be fragile for a few months after the op. I get home for seven and make scrambled eggs on toast, which I share with Normy. It is my annual health MOT in the morning and some of the blood tests require me to fast from this evening. The grey drizzly day has merged seamlessly into a dark, damp night and it seems the gloom may linger until the weekend. To bed for ten.