08-Jan to 14-Jan 2012

Sun 08-Jan: After deciding to stay put in our house we've been decluttering... giving away or getting rid of anything we don't really use. That includes Linda sifting through the 30+ years of paperwork she's been storing away just in case it's needed (a classic element of Episode 1 of Roger And Val Have Just Got In). This part of the exercise has been going on for weeks and I somehow got the impression we were on to the final few boxes of stuff. But no... after several hours of shredding another two carrier bags of bumf appeared.There's a big risk part of the house is being held up by bags and boxes of this stuff

Mon 09-Jan: Had a good three hour session at the allotment this afternoon, but unfortunately not much preparation done for Spring. Noticed the robin has been popping into our bird box in the back garden... the bird box that, although a successful home to a brood three years ago, for the last two years has been the scene of tradgedy after being accessed by a cat. So thought it's time for something more secure. After several iterations here's the masterpiece At one point realised the thing was somewhat overengineered. Some risk of the fence panel it'll be attached to falling over with the weight. Finished with the head torch in use and darkness all around.

Tue 10-Jan: With Linda's sprained ankle improving but still a bit delicate the mission this morning was... to do the weekly shopping! Challenge started before I even got through the supermarket door. Would I accidentally put Linda's prescription in the postbox, and stuff the envelopes in the surgery prescription box? Mission part 1 accomplished, here's the list I had to contend with on entering the supermarket. Glad to observe they weren't making an special concessions for me... the usual distraught female was singing her lungs out over the tannoy system about how badly she'd been wronged. It's the toilet and kitchen tissue aisle that always stumps me. There must be dozens and dozens and dozens of choices, all seemingly with special offers. A maths degree would be useful to identify if that two for one offer is better than this one, or this other straight price reduction is even better. And each pack seems to contain a different number of rolls. Does the 'helpful' price per roll guide on each take account of the offers? Wheeling up to the checkout like a galleon holed below the water line I pleaded with the checkout operator to be gentle with me. Safely back home, Linda couldn't believe it had taken me 90minutes to complete, without any diversions such as gossiping or reading the gadget magazines... it normally takes her 20mins.

Wed 11-Jan: Don't often get Izzy stationary for long, and you're even less likely to catch her in front of the camera. For this image I managed to sneak up Becky's stairs and snap her at mission control playing on Club Penguin. Woe betide anyone who utters the phrase 'ginger'... the colour of her hair is golden.

Thu 12-Jan: The item that was Sammy and Paige is no more. She tore the lottery tickets out of his book. Sammy loves his stationery and when Izzy let slip, this was just too much for him. The divorce between Paul McCartney and Heather Mills pales into insignificance. As soon as he was told he disappeared into his bedroom to pen his feelings. Here's the result... a letter to Paige Becky managed to intercept, as much for Izzy's sake. For the uninitiated here's a translation... "Not Dear Page, When you came over, when you went I went in to Izzy's bedroom and all my rafle tiqits was out of my book. You are mean, Izzy is kind and Izzy telld me were the rafle book was. Izzy said to me you scribbled on my puffle shop sine and Izzy said you did rip evry number out of my raffle book. Now I know Izzy does not liey. All Izzy's puffles hate you. Sammy's puffles hate you too. Paige, Izzy hates you and tomrow I will hit you with my sqoush rackit. Sammy hates you too. My mum ses you need to pay me £6. Not love from Sammy."

Fri 13-Jan: The early spuds are bought and I'm itching to fill the windowsills with pots of leek seeds and peas, so it's time to get digging! Here's the status as Linda and I wandered away from the plot, dusk drawing in... I'd dug the foreground yesterday, Linda had pulled up the kale and dug over that bit half way down this afternoon while I was finishing off repositioning the raspberries in the polytunnel on the back plot. It's definitely getting much easier to turn over each year... to see what it was like originally click here.

Sat 14-Jan: Linda thought it a bit too frosty to risk the fen roads for a trip to Ely Cathedral, so we popped into Cambridge on the guided bus for a first visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum to see the collection of paintings entitled 'Vermeer's Women'. Here we are at the impressive entrance, with an even more impressive entrance hall to follow. Unfortunately there was a 90 minute wait to see Vermeer, so we browsed the amazing collections of other artefacts instead. Not too impressed with the impressionist paintings of Degas, Renoir etc. The best bit of the day was eating a carribbean honey and orange cookie I bought from the market, not too sweet, great consistency... fabulous! Must get the recipe.