LAST YEAR'S MODEL

I headed for the reservoir this afternoon, but when I saw evidence of car break-ins (heaps of smashed glass in three of the spaces) I decided not to leave my car there and went to the Woodland Park instead. The place was dancing with butterflies, but all the fresh ones, Orange Tips, Small Whites, Green Veined Whites, Speckled Woods and Small Tortoiseshell, were so busy fighting over territory and chasing each other up and down the paths that they were hard to capture. This old warrior, though, seemed content to soak up some warm sun and throw caution to the winds with all the hungry birds about. Most of last year's brightness has gone and its wings look very ragged.

I spoke to my Mum this morning. She's still in bed, aching all over but with the pain controlled by a morphine patch (which is making her very sleepy as well). She's catching up on sleep and being looked after by sister A2 who she says is even stricter than sister R. Perhaps in the next few days she'll see the point of having the stairlift she objected to so much!