1. Alec wakes me in the small hours, has a quick drink and then goes back to sleep. But I don't. I lie awake. And lie awake. And lie awake. Finally, I sit up, put the light on and read more soothing Sei Shonagon until my eyes grow heavy. It's good to have the time.
2. I loathe doing the bins -- they are all the way down at the end of the terrace, and it's cold out. But I dislike even more putting rubbish into an overflowing container. So I empty them all and take the bags down when I'm going out anyway.
3. A mother herds twin boys down the stairs in front of us. One of them wants to take his gloves off. Alec smiles fatly at me -- he knows that I know that he's going to take his own gloves off the minute I put them on him.
