When you wake up at 6.30, get a cuppa and are still messing around on your phone at 9.15... you might as well decide it's a 5:2 fastday.

I'd been thinking about posting Christmas presents to the Swansea branch of the family for a couple of weeks, but didn't have a box. But then the flatpack came a few days ago enabling me to make a one, and I walked to the Post Office with it this morning. It's good to get them out of the way and anyway it's my grandsons' birthdays in three weeks and I thought they should have their presents in the right order... although of course they have no idea about that.

After a non existent lunch I did some cutting back and general tidying in the garden, it feels so spring like today! The chives are coming up (pictured), everything has buds, the broad beans seem to have totally recovered from their severe frosting, and I've even got a few bonus garlics sprouting.