The end of another week and winter definitely seems to be making it’s presence known. A mixture of dry cold and wet cold interspersed with windy & wet cold. We have a huge marketing-spin opportunity in Manchester…..

The porch has started rising from the ground. Apparently it’s been too cold recently to lay bricks , although I’m not sure whether that’s too cold for the bricks, the mortar or the builders. Anyway, a briefly warmer day and they went for it and I must say I’m looking forward to the extra space, if nothing but to leave footwear in. Mark would be so proud…..

Otherwise a day of washing, ironing, writing Christmas cards and finishing my Christmas letter. For whatever reason (laziness I suspect) I seem to fail to contact people that much during the year and so it’s always been my approach to update people this way. Now the majority of folks know about the most important bits of news this year but unfortunately a few are going to get the shock of losing Mark .

I wanted the news out there away from Christmas so that people didn’t feel like they might have upset me, and also to reduce the chance of making this period any more difficult. It was hard enough today opening cards just addressed to me; again it’s the first time since the funeral (when I wasn’t really comprehending much anyway). A few tears but then the feeling of onwards-and-upwards. I can talk the talk, but at the moment I’m often not believing it myself.

Final race of the year for me tomorrow. A 10 miler, and not a straightforward one either, especially as the weather is looking comparably dire. Ho hum!