A rainy Monday.

It is still raining when we get up at seven thirty, but the rain has eased somewhat, and is not falling quite so heavily, so Norman trots down the path to the lawn and relieves his bladder, before retreating to his breakfast watching spot by the hall radiator. Perversely, my neck shoulders and back are stiff, in precisely those muscles that should have been affected yesterday, by tossing Louis around the pool on Saturday, even my reaction to unaccustomed exercise is slowing down! I make breakfast, and cut Norman's tythe into small pieces, before sitting down to eat my share of the spoils. November has been a good autumn month, the month's rainfall concentrated in the last few days. A good autumn, leads naturally, to the feeling of a short winter and as we get older, long winters are harder to take. Notwithstanding this, clear, crisp, frosty mornings are perhaps my favourite weather in the whole year. Alas they are also rather rare. Before showering and dressing, I harvest my aired pants and vests from radiators around the house and then store them away in the cupboard above the dressing table mirror in my bedroom. Before setting off for Cherry, I have to replace the blanket that protects the leather seats in the back of my car from the worst of the dog's muddy paws, Norman is wagging his tail enthusiastically in anticipation of his walk, despite the continuation of the rain. I take a different route to Cherry Burton, driving through Beverley town centre and then up York Road, as I wish to assess the state of the Westwood, before taking the dogs there. Four fire engines are pumping out the lake, that stood yesterday on the southern part of the Westwood, and the river that ran adjacent to Newbald Road, has been reduced to a stream, so a walk on the common is possible, if not entirely sensible. Dolly and Teddy are eager for the off, having been confined to barracks all weekend and don't want to wait, whilst I discard my shoes and pull on my Wellies, before sallying forth, across the streams, puddles and lakes, that bar my access to the woods at Newbegin Pits. Norman is spared the worst of it, as I tuck him under my arm and carry him to dry ground, before setting him on the forest floor. The rain is light, but incessant, the sky grey and dull, the leaves gone from the trees and the ground a soggy morass of mud, the words, " I don't like Monday's", echoes in my brain, except I am retired and so don't want, or need, a duvet day. The dogs think it is great, although there is not a rabbit or squirrel to be seen, half the rabbit holes are filled with water anyway. Dolly comes back to the lead at Black Mill and we strike across country towards Burton Bushes, between us and our destination is a small valley, in which the Luftwaffe dropped several bombs in WWII, these have left three craters, that lie on the fairway of the golf course. Each of these, is five or six feet deep and thirty feet in diameter, and completely filled by flood water, three fast flowing streams run in parallel from west to east across the Westwood. These streams are about six inches deep, which is three inches longer than Norman's legs, but the old boy plunges through them and then shakes off the excess water on the other side. It is almost as if, he is relishing the challenge. We are out for two hours, I suppose it was quite exhilarating, but we are now all soaked, after dropping the terriers back at Two Riggs, I dry Normy on his towel and then call at Morrison's to do my final shop before leaving for Holland on Thursday. The butcher's counter has some wonderful looking Italian pork sausage, and as we ate the last of our supply this morning, I order just six links, two per day, to last us until I go. It turns out that these sausages are fifty pence each, so I will comment on the value, after tomorrow's breakfast. Graham wants me to bring a Xmas Pudding and eventually I find the Xmas display, but the majority have new fangled flavours, and it takes me a while to find something that is both traditional and good quality. When you are an ex pat exile, you want traditional Xmas fare! While I am there, I buy a couple of slices of roast beef, as roast beef sandwiches and tea have captured my imagination for lunch. En route home, I call in at the cobblers, to pick up a pair of oxblood Oxford shoes and to drop off their twins in black to be soled and heeled. I also leave the left shoe he repaired the week before, to see if he can stretch the toecap, as it was rubbing against my toe. We arrive home at one O'clock, and by the time I have she'd my wet gear, feed Norman and then made my beef sandwiches and tea, there is only an hour left in which to eat lunch and to perform other tasks, before I need to set off and collect Louis from Saint Mary's. outside, in the field beyond my garden a small goup of deer are grazing in the rain, I photograph them with my ipad, they look up, see me, decide I am no threat and continue to graze. I have just enough time to slice, dice and marinade a couple of chicken filets, that I defrosted this morning, they will form the basis of a pilaf that I intend to make for dinner, this evening. I drive to Sam's house down Copendale Road and park up outside. From here it is a ten minute walk to Saint Mary's primary school and Louis and I are visiting his cousins, Laura and Rebecca, before his swimming lessons at five. It is only when I am in the playground at Saint Mary's, waiting for Louis, that I realise I have a text message on my phone, it is from Sam, cancelling our visit. Louis is happy to see me, but disappointed at not seeing his cousins, we drive to Tickton, and I show him the river Hull, very close to bursting its banks at Hull Bridge, just before the Tickton turn off. When we get in, I make Louis his usual ante pasta, and then feed Norman with a tin. After he has eaten, Louis wants to take Norman for his walk around the village, despite the falling rain and I am pleasantly surprised by his affection for our little dachshund. It is only when we reach the post office, that his true motivation is revealed, last week he wangled an expensive magazine out of me and wants to repeat the ploy. Against my better judgement, I give way, post rationalising my decision, on the grounds that he won't see me for a week after today, because of my trip to Holland. We let Norman play "praise and pat" down Green Lane on our way home and then have to set off immediately for the Leisure centre and Louis' swimming lessons. I tell him that in order to earn his comic, a Disney make and do package, he has to pay attention and listen to the swimming instructor. Somehow, I get him there on time and the bribe works, he listens carefully and does his best to follow instructions. Afterwards, after drying and dressing him, I drive him home to Sarah's and report his exemplary behaviour, before presenting him with his comic. Sarah and Alice have been to the dentists, Sarah to get some antibiotics for her sore gums and Alice to have her braces fitted. Sarah is back to work tomorrow. I drive home, arriving around six thirty and don't really feel like cooking, so make do with ante pasta, the chicken can wait until tomorrow. Louis said something this evening, that touched me, he told me I was his Dad, I am not, only his Grandad, but I do my best and shall just have to make sure I don't die on him before he is big enough to get by on his own. InshAllah!