Thursday 7 May:

Went for another dawn walk – essentially to the Avon lock (via North Street/Metrobus Bridge then back via harbourside/Vauxhall Bridge/Coronation Road/ Leighton Road (image: early morning from near Underfall Yard – I like the silhouetted geese on the boat roof… and making a lot of noise!).

Back home by 6.45pm and toast+marmalade+coffee breakfast.

Read some more of Lewis Hyde’s “The Gift” book… but I’m really struggling with it. It’s probably just too philosophical/intellectual for me, but it’s had excellent reviews and I’m determined to try to persevere (probably not a book for bedtime!). I’m going to try to read a chapter a day (rather like I did for the Bryson book).

Spent perhaps a couple of hours (maybe a bit less?) sketching another ‘virtual’ scene from Sintra, Portugal (Saturday’s Urban Sketching ‘location’). It’s a beautiful location and with endless subjects to sketch.

Received a wonderful letter from Alan in the post at lunchtime saying how lucky he’s been having such a wonderful brother (made me cry!).

The day also brought another nice surprise… when I received an anonymous text from ‘friend’ (purporting to be from the milkman) and leaving a bottle of red wine on the doorstep! At Bloke’s Prayer, I’d joked about having to ‘survive’ on two bottles of red until the next supermarket delivery in 10 days’ time(!)… so I feel pretty sure it must have come from one of them (perhaps Robin?). I’ve emailed them all, but suspect it might be difficult to find the guilty party.

Zoom PCC meeting in the evening (starting 8.05pm – after NHS applause). Although my mind wasn’t really in ‘meeting mode’, I quite like the zoom meeting format (as long as meetings are well chaired)… and it saves travel time, washing up etc etc.