1. The terracotta clay is always incredibly messy but today it is also sticky and hard to throw. I threw nine pots – two collapse, four are somewhat wonky, and the other three are just … ok then it takes more than half an hour to clean up everything. In comparison, glazing is easy – not something I thought I’d ever say! I use my two of my favourite, reliable glazes and the dipping tongs – the glaze coats them smoothly and evenly.

1b. I turn onto the road and gasp: the huge, round moon hangs heavily over the hills to the east. The bus follows it on my way home: at times, it’s coloured green by the tinted part of the upstairs window.

2. Tilda is utterly delighted to see me (at least in part because I am the Refiller of the [momentarily empty] Upstairs Food Receptacle). She dances her head from side to side, unable to contain her excitement. Meanwhile upstairs, Lily, who has been confined to the bedroom for the duration of her abandonment (a whole fifteen minutes), sniffs furiously at the door crack to find out what is going on in the rest of the house.

3. To live in an area where people don’t go in for many fireworks at home. There is a short flurry of loud, bright flashes from across the valley but after that, it is largely still. A heavy smoke hangs over the treeline though.

4. “Oh there are almond slivers on my curry … no wait, it’s garlic.”