Three Beautiful Things

1. There's her reassuring dot on the map, at the cinema. 2. Tilting the shutters against golden light after a sudden rain shower. 3. The paving crack weeds -- selfheal, ragwort and violets -- gleam with dew in the light falling out of the kitchen.

1. Listening to a dad and little boy in the front seat of the bus chatting about their plans for the day -- play in the park, go swimming, catch the bus back to Fenicks (it's Fen- WICKS , Dad) to buy a toy (oh about twenty pounds). 2. The counter-protest carrying signs about peace and good Samaritans is much larger than the protest of red-faced people play-acting as security guards and shouting abuse at buses. 3. When I come down to make supper, Nick has a bread and butter pudding waiting to go in the oven.