A fine, ache free day.

I wake, as always, ten minutes before the alarm goes off at six thirty, let the dogs into the garden, which is still in darkness and then make breakfast. After my full English, I take my coffee into the Garden Room and sit listening to the news on Radio Four, another fox moves from south to north in the field beyond the hedge. A rabbit sprints down a furrow to safety and the fox half heartedly jogs a few paces and then decides not to bother, it looks very thin and bedraggled. I hope it makes it through the winter to spring. After cautioning the dogs to be patient until I return to take them out, I drive to Sarah's house, collect Alice and deliver her to the Orthodontist down Norwood. We have to wait for ten minutes until it is her turn to be seen and chat about her choice of A levels, trying to persuade her to take geography instead of media along with history, sociology and French. In the end she will decide herself, the orthodontist is happy with her oral hygiene and the progress with her brace. After dropping her at the High School, I return to Tickton, collect the dogs and drive to the Westwood, parking next to the woods. The wind has dropped today and the sun shines from a banded sky, of bright blue and white clouds, layered in alternating bands. The arthritis in my hip and knee has almost gone, thanks to the diclofenac and possibly an increase in air pressure, so when we arrive at Black Mill we push on across the common to Burton Bushes, where we sit on a bench by the western gate and look back across the Westwood. Despite the muddy paths, we brave the woods, all the oaks are bare now and the fallen leaves give off a tannic smell as we make our way through to the northern gate and then follow the path downhill to the car. We return to Tickton for one o'clock and are welcomed by the aroma of my chicken casserole which has benefitted from a slow overnight cook. It tastes good too and there is enough left for another meal, so I store the balance in the fridge before settling down to Christopher Hitchens biography of Thomas Jefferson, after first hanging out my white washing and then loading my shirts, socks and pyjamas into the washing machine. A text arrives from Leslie's daughter, she says he is more settled and realises it will take a while to regain his mobility. Later Sarah rings and we arrange for Alice to take Louis to school tomorrow, as she has broken up for half term a day before him and Pip has also phoned asking me to keep the terriers until Friday. Around half past seven we walk round the village, the sky is overcast and there are no stars on display this evening. Back indoors I settle down with my book, Norman sits on my knee and Dolly and Teddy each settle into a cane chair. We turn in around ten.