I think it’s going to be another quiet one today. Tonia and Matt are off to St Beat again, thankfully this time with a bit more luck as it’s Monday and the Tabac is open.

Matt had a go at putting up an electric towel heater in the ground floor bathroom, unfortunately he seems to have blown the fuse so not sure if it is dodgy wiring or the towel rail itself. In the meantime the socket has been taped off until it can be investigated properly – a familiar sight in this house.

Before we do anything else it’s time to refill the canister for the paraffin heater yet again. It’s an unrelenting task, but Matt has rigged up the funnel and paint pots so that he can do it on his own, so I duly just take some photos.

Next up it’s time for a walk. The sun is shining but the ground is really wet underfoot so don’t fancy going back around our usual path. Our planned route today is around the garden, on the search for signs of animals. It may have been easier to do this when there was snow. But it’s always fun and there’s always something to look at in this garden.

Dinner and we are finally finishing off the leftovers. Most of them at least, there’s still plenty of Matt’s Christmas cabbage leftover unsurprisingly since neither Tonia or I really eat lovely vegetables.

Tonia and Matt are now watching some comedies etc so I, finally, get back to work on the masks for Doug. We have no idea when they will be able to use them, but hopefully I will manage to get them all done in time so that Tonia can take them back with her.

That’s most of them made to the right shape. They’ll still need some trimming, the ends completed and the elastic fitted but it’s good progress. Most importantly my new sewing machine seems to be working well. But it’s now late and I’m off to bed.

[Monday 28 December]