Did it!

For the first time in years, conditions were opportune for me to take advantage of the fact that the shortest working day fits inside the daylight hours of the almost shortest day, and I cycled in to work.

Setting out just about sun-up, with the crows cawing in the oak tree at the end of the road, it was a milder morning than many in October - T-shirt, with a denim shirt over that, completely un-buttoned, just to provide sleeves. In the overcast early light the various plastic Santas and snowmen looked drab and dispiriting. The snowmen are ironic given quite how mild and wet it was; and the Santas showed that this is indeed the festival of the patron saint of carbonated stimulant beverages.

For the last leg of the journey, along farm track into the side of the still under construction new villages, it was no suprise to find it muddy enough that it was better to walk than clog the wheels up with gritty mud. And no surprise that the pathway had been mucked around with again, and had been re-routed.

But all in all it was marvellous. I really miss the endorphins from the exercise. Roll on mid-March, when the days are long enough again - and the current project has to have completed.