There is no doubt about it – I’m tired. I have had a difficult week at work – people shouting at me (ugh) and complaining even though I’m only desperately trying to do my best. Stupidly, my difficulties have once again come about through the success of my labours – the project I’ve been working on since the beginning of this year is just about to come to fruition and it’s looking like it’s going to be so successful that everyone has suddenly decided they want a piece of the action.

The thing is, that if everyone wanting a bit of it is successful in getting it, it’ll spoil the whole thing through overkill and I can’t allow that to happen but equally all of those who want a chunk are determined not to let go. It’s all starting to get very messy.

My chest pains are back, as is my stress cough! So, tonight I’ve switched off my PC and come into the house feeling completely squashed.

While I was working out what to cook for dinner, which is, while we’ve got crops, a function of what’s ready to be picked, I was rooting around in the veggie garden and came across this squash. I love its shape and colour so decided that I’d see if I could find a good picky of it.

These days I am much more concerned with lighting my still-lives and it took me ages to get a shot that I felt was lit right…..even though it’s lit by a cheap spotlight, not one of our expensive studio lights.

For completeness’s sake, you should know that the wooden dish is one bought for me by DM for my birthday, made from Heligan Sycamore. I cannot describe in a way that does it justice, what a beautiful object this is – the surface is smooth as a baby’s bottom (I dunno why I say that, I have never in my life touched one) yet the light dances off it and makes it look three dimensional – wonderful. I’d photograph it but the truth is I have been trying to do just that for weeks now and failing dismally!

Last year too I was feeling squashed - at my desk in London instead of here in Cornwall.