Chicken food bought, kindling bought, gas tank filled, petrol tank filled, Christmas beef and New Year haggis ordered. And the rest of the carpets have been washed and dried. I relax when Tim is here but I get a lot done when he isn’t. Luckily, he’ll be back tomorrow.

Before that, I’ve got to clean out the henhouse, which I maybe don’t do quite as often as I should. But there is avian flu in the country again and, for fear of a bad outbreak, the government has decreed that all poultry should be kept indoors from the 14th of this month. I’ll check where the nearest outbreak is tomorrow and if it’s well away, my little flock can have a respite for a bit longer. Otherwise, they’ll be shut in as soon as I’ve mucked out. It’s not so much that I’m afraid they’ll get it as that a commercial flock will and all chickens within the designated area will have to be culled. If they’re safely indoors, they won’t be at risk.

I’ve been sorting out the presents I’ve bought and I’m not far off ready. Men are still a problem though – but when are they not?