1. The coolness of the shade before it is touched by the sun. Conversely, the warm stones of the patio as I fetch in the dry blankets.

2. Strange comes in meowing and we chat for a little while. She tells me, with a meow, that she’d like some cat food instead of milk please. (This might seem a no brainer for most cats but ours are obsessed with drinks – Strange and Kaufman have picked milk over tuna – TUNA – before now and Tilda runs across rooms positively giddy if offered a bowl of fresh from the tap water.)

2. The greenhouse filling up with seedlings.

3. The little girl silently watches us eat. She casts wide eyes at my waffles but is really interested in John and his colourful gelato. Every time he turns to her (smiling), she turns away almost with an eye roll: “I can’t believe I got caught watching again!”