So annoying, I can’t get a good sleep rhythm going.  I was awake by 4 and then dozed when it was time to get up.

I don’t like getting up early.  This dawn malarkey was all right, once or twice a year, when I lived in Lowestoft – motto: Point du jour, it being the most easterly point of the British Isles.  Seeing the sunrise was quite good, once.  A bit samey after that.  Last time I deliberately did it was New Year’s Day, 1st January 2000.  And I don’t really care whether that or the next year was the start of the new millennium, it was 2000 which was quite enough of a milestone.

We had thrown a party the night before, which was at our house but organised by our friends Stuart and Caroline as well as us.  It was good fun, though the details are hazy in my memory.  I can’t even remember what food I served, which is unusual for me.

We had agreed to meet up sometime before larkfart, to drive to the seaside to watch the sun come up.  As I’d done dinner, Caroline was doing breakfast and had packed a camp stove, bacon and eggs etc.  Russell opted out but the boys were game – Weeza had called in on the party for a while, with her then boyf Richard, but they’d gone on to another party later.  We drove over to the cliff at Dunwich, where there were a number of other people waiting to greet the dawn.

A tip for you – when you’ve a camp stove, it’s surprising how a bit of a breeze lessons its effectiveness as a cooking tool.  We’d meant to be eating our bacon sarnies as the sun rose, but they were a bit late.  Also, it was slightly cloudy at horizon level, so the actual point of day was slightly to be guessed – but it didn’t seem to matter at all.  There had been snow but it was fine, it was a special occasion and we had hot drinks in a Thermos, as well as slightly floppy bacon in due course.

Anyway, today…. I arranged flowers at the church.  A good job I’d bought plenty of lovely spring flowers – mostly in pink and yellow – as there was also a wedding this afternoon and the bride had been pleased to be spared the expense of a florist, as the church would be decorated for Easter anyway.  I’m afraid Russell didn’t get any of the flowers, they all went into the pedestal under the pulpit.  I’m no particular flower arranger, but I don’t mind having a go.

Russell does have some daffodils, but something has nibbled them.  I’ll pick more and take them down in the morning.  He wasn’t very interested in flowers, truth to tell, but he did buy me some, once in a while, so it seems only fair to return the favour.

Several people have told me in the last few days that I’m looking better – less drawn.  I know exactly what they mean, I’ve put on weight.  I don’t want to expand out of a size 10, it doesn’t suit me.  However, Weeza has told me that, at my age, I have to choose between face and figure.  Well, I accept that I’d lost more weight than I’d needed to.  And being too thin at my age is neither healthy nor flattering.  But I think it’s time to draw the line, while I can still see my feet.