But it did get better

What a lovely dog Ripley is. He's just on a year old and this is the fifth home he's lived in - he's obviously been much loved though, so it's a win/win situation all round.

We went to a very nice pub at Sapperton - about 10 miles from Cirencester. Evidently it's where the junior royals often go, but I didn't really look around at the other diners. I had a lovely pork belly dish which has already translated into a porky belly on yours truly I suspect.  I won't tell if you won't.

It's an early start tomorrow. Sarah is going to take me to meet up with Hannah at Bath and I'll spend the weekend with Hannah's lot, while Will's family have a Clayton gathering together here.  Will has a very good cleaner who comes for a couple of hours each day, so all I need to do is strip the beds and she'll make them up for the family.

Had a pleasant supper here with Philip and Rosemary. Will has gone out with Sarah and Gabriel and Dean.  He's doing amazingly well but I can't help wondering how he'll fare once Sarah and I leave and all the hooplah is over and he has to get back to work.  The same as the rest of us, I guess.

And I'm about to turn out my light. I feel very weary tonight