1. Wintery sunshine and a brisk drying wind make all the difference after a week of long wet days and heavy showers.
2. Alec comes in from school and remarks that he has enjoyed walking home in the sort of cold weather that makes you glad it isn't a hot day. He suggested I might like to use this here, and so I said I might. Then he suggested I add that it's the kind of temperature that makes you want a piece of Granny's flapjack. I'm not sure why he doesn't just send her a message and ask.
3. I rarely buy fresh soft fruit out-of-season because it's often disappointing to taste; it's not very good for the environment; and it's poor value compared with frozen fruit. But Bettany doesn't know any of that -- and inevitably if Nick needs to pop to the shops on the way home from school he bribes her by allowing her to add raspberries or blueberries to the basket. It must have been a hard sell today, because they also have a small chocolate cake, which goes very well with the fruit.
