The Flickr Sigma30Mm14Ex Image Generatr

For her birthday one of Cat's friends got her the early stages of a rose bush, which has now started to bloom.

I was, in theory, meant to be in the office today to attend a physical meeting, but I took the view what with my ongoing cold that it seemed illogical to travel into Birmingham to sit in a room with people when half the attendees were by video anyway. Given the change in covid rules being announced yesterday, I stand by that decision. It was also nice not to sit sniffing away on the train with a mask on for 40 minutes, and being able to hide out of view muted to blow my nose. Cat is at her works Christmas thing tonight, so I am going to have a play.

Today Cat is on call, so this morning Juliana and I went to Heart of the Country to explore the forest area, check out the pigs and look at the (closed) shops. She napped this afternoon (hoorah), so I took advantage of a nap on the sofa myself. The weather was also delightful this afternoon so we spent it in the garden, eating rice cakes on the patio furniture. Alas she got over exuberant picking up the sausage dog ornament with a giant dong and dropped it, marginally damaging it with its face and a leg falling off.

Ha, ha ha ha, pun. The end of the working week has arrived, hello to the weekend. This morning on my pre work walk I saw a heron having a groom, which is probably the one I scared during yesterday's run in the park. Perhaps there is more than one in Lichfield, but it doesn't look that way.

The weather this weekend is meant to be rubbish and, shock, Cat will be in work all day on Sunday. Perhaps Juliana and I can go out in the rain to at least get some fresh air.

So, day 230 already. Not that that is a special day, but a nice round one and surprising to be at this point already. I'm now three weeks into using a big camera everyday and I think my photos are the better for it, or at least the blurry backgrounds make me believe it, regardless I'm pleased with how it's all been coming along.

I explained to Juliana on the way to the GP that mummy is a doctor so there's no need to be scared. This evening she told Cat she was a doctor and I had told her this. Then, in response to the question of what does daddy do for work, she said I sit on a chair. Sounds about right.

A good few years ago Cat got me some old cameras from the local semi antique place, which we used to look in often before it appeared to become a jamboree of toot. Anyway, the designs were always much more ornate than the more modern cameras and therefore make a suitable subject.

I had a decent morning run, breaking the 4.28 minutes/km average for the first time probably since around Juliana was born, so hoorah. As is standard we went out for coffee and cake this morning and have settled in for a lazy afternoon whilst she goes zzz.

Actually, to my great surprise the working week has been fine, I've not been pissed off by it and, don't tell anyone, today was possibly even enjoyable. It's important not to get ahead of myself. The first forced day of returning to the office is in 3 weeks and it's going to blow big time to get home two and bit hours later than my current 'home' time, and commuting, and all that crap, but if the day is tolerable then perhaps it won't be insufferable.

The Verve were wrong, the drugs *do* work.

Cat came home via the bakers this morning with an a’bun’dance of Belgian buns, meaning that we were both very full of tea and cake this morning and lunch was pushed back a little bit. Considering I couldn’t muster up the enthusiasm to go for a run this morning perhaps it wasn’t justified, but life is short and cake is nice so what reason is there to abstain from the occasional unhealthy luxury.

After a reluctant beginning the day was good. Unexpected offers made by defendants and an afternoon hot chocolate to round the day off. Juliana wanted to play in the garden when we got home from nursery and so we introduced an ornament to her sandpit.

Monday, boo. Very much so today, so a photo of computer, drink and satsuma carcass will suffice.

The modern art is strong with Juliana, who has proudly made a cat with her Mega Bloks today. It is, as Cat commented, remarkably similar to Unikitty in The Lego Movie, but she's not even seen it…


Today's weather was a mix of everything, but we were fortunate as even though it rained on us going into town it was dry for the park. Monday tomorrow, boo!

Perhaps it was all going too well. Anyway, the nausea today is atrocious with undertones of "will I puke" so with any luck this is a short term thing.

This morning I decided to have a Cannock run, being fortunate in that I missed the various torrential downpours of the day. It turns out the old blue trail is no longer 'official', but despite this can still be used. The run turned out a bit longer than intended, but all good training for the fun run next month.

Also, much less nausea today and excitingly we were able to watch the women's climbing finals in the Olympics.

The weather surprisingly held out for us this morning which was nice, alas Juliana didn't nap this afternoon and Cat was out but we valiantly got through the afternoon. Our neighbours returned from their trademark barely-a-holiday the other day and have reminded us why we want a detached house after the short period of freedom from our light fixtures rattling as they run and bang around.

On a side note, I am in love my Sigma lens again.

Cat made some fancy pastry and butterbean and tomato things to freeze up for Juliana for lunch, I resisted the temptation to steal one and got on with the working day. Today marks the end of the first week of starting the new meds and… I'm feeling somewhat less angry. A successful start?

It's a three day week this week, and I'm probably less inspired as a result. Anyway, stuff was done, salted caramel latte was a pleasant interlude to the day and we have a wonderful The Very Hungry Caterpillar which Juliana has painted.

Today's photo has no relevance to the day. It was, however, the day of the inquest and we all attended by video link, Cat looking a bit sleepy having got home from work at about 4 in the morning. A small sense of closure, a rubber stamp exercise and one of the few bits of 'admin' left. It has been a very long 12 and a bit months since the accident last year, but the present should be savoured for its the only thing guaranteed.