Rowan

Meet Rowan, he's a border collie, about 3 months old, and our friend Sue has had him for a few weeks now. True to the breed, he has a lot of energy, and he's going to keep Sue very fit. We went for a lunchtime walk down to the River Kent. In 213 postings, he's also my first dog blip.

Matt spotted a kingfisher flashing past electric-blue to perch in a tree overhanging the River Kent. That gets the bird list moving again, taking it to 95 species.

Last night I got to the end of "The Road", and there was redemption in the final pages, affirmation of the human spirit and of essential humanity defying the degrading descent into barbarism that so many of the characters had submitted to. In retrospect it was a book to be best read at a single sitting, and not to have cliff-hanging evening after evening on a bleak, grey landscape of human misery and ecological obliteration. But I'm glad I persevered, it was ultimately uplifting and just faintly optimistic.

Back at work, all 1000 word statements are done. And I was given gifts of alcohol and even flowers as a thank you for helping people with theirs. I hope they weren't premature, it bothers me that my rational interpretation of the vaguest of guidance may not be shared by those charged with marking these things. We shall see.

The sun emerged for a minute or two. There was no rain, and the cloud was lighter. In Manchester the sun shone properly.