I have worked like a dog again today but I do feel as though I have made some progress for a change. On the work menu – plumbing, cleaning, painting and a whole load of small jobs, all of which worked – makes a change.

In the car, while travelling, we were discussing the trees we planted way back when, shortly after we moved into this house. They have suddenly started to put on growth spurts and now actually look a bit like trees. Probably more than half of them are bigger than us and they all look very healthy – an important observation given that we planted quite a lot of Ash, which is currently under threat from a tree disease. DM suggested I take some time out to do a bit of tree-hugging and I agreed it’d be good for my soul.

DM picked me up at about 6.30pm and we got home at ten to seven so he took the dogs out to play and I made dinner. When it was in the oven cooking, I decided to go and do that tree-hugging I’d agreed to do. I walked out into the field in a break from “the game” because JD had stolen both tennis balls and was chewing one while holding the other between his paws. He’s a so-and-so.

This is the three of them enjoying the evening sunshine and you can see two ashes on the right and a sweet chestnut on the left! You see – they are getting to look like trees.