I know that I get continually crappier at my photo diary – I have no defence when I consider how religiously I did it for five years despite the hurly-burly of my working life.

These days you might say I have it easy because I am “just” a student but believe me I’m finding it hard going. I promised myself when I restarted this that I’d do it when I could and not through obligation and I’ve been working so hard at college, work and to look after Rosie and Archie that I’ve not so much as given this (or my friends or much else to be honest) a second thought.

We’ve been waiting for tree o’clock for months with excitement and anticipation. We’ve already planted many trees here as I’ve already said but we still felt that we’d like to help the world record attempt so we used a garden centre voucher that we’d been given as a wedding present by some wonderful (although neglected) friends to buy a twisted golden barked willow, an ornamental weeping pear and a witch hazel then we planted them at tree o’clock today.

It was wonderful to get out into the field – a place where I’ve not managed to go in recent months given my hectic work/college schedule. We planted our trees, took our proof photos and sent them to the Beeb ready for adding to the tally. They’ve not yet announced the final results and whether or not we managed to achieve breaking the world record.

Archie is too poorly to come into the field these days (except for an odd day, he’s rarely able to go further than the back garden) but stopping Rosie from helping was NOT going to happen. She’s watching her “dad” digging the hole for the second tree we planted and inspecting his work. You can see one of her shaved patches and some of the tumours that are invading her body.

She’s doing well – despite being given a continuum of between “a couple of weeks” and “a few months”, you’d never know it other than when you can see her tumours. She’s skipping about and not in any obvious pain. She’s getting spoiled rotten and that will continue for however many more days/weeks/months that she’s with us.

Tree o’clock was really important to me. I’m glad we managed to participate and I’m glad my three trees will remind me forever more of the three families whose good wishes made us able to buy them. I can’t wait to see them in flower and leaf next summer.