1. When they get back from the Spring Opening at the Spa Valley Railway, Alec is full of talk about their morning. Instead of just one item copied from Nick and repeated I get a spontaneous and almost coherent account featuring "Noisy old engine" and "Boo-bah diesel" and "Steamy toot-toot engines in shed asleep" and "Alec played with toy train".
2. "We left this morning at half past nine," says Nick "and I don't think we saw a single person from here to Chapel Place. It was lovely."
3. The Sunday sound of Nick cleaning the family's shoes. I always feel very loved when I look down at shiny boots.
