The novelty of having this stuff around is wearing very thin. Christmas day Chloë had to ferry grandparents up and down in a landrover and she's been driving it ever since because it's the only means of transport guaranteed to cope with conditions. Boxing day I managed to lug the turkey, bread sauce, veggie stuffing and gravy up to g'dad's (he and his wife baulk at sheep-station cookery so it always seems to fall to me but I'm thinking of rebelling next year.)

Today the books are being moved into the garage by a chain gang of lads otherwise employed as foresters so - heaven help the finer vols. My back and asthma have been playing up something chronic, probably at the thought of shifting 5730 of the remaining stock... urgh.