1. Slabs of brie and a ramekin of prawn cocktail, with seeded brown bread.

2. The spaniel throws a stick at me – he doesn’t politely drop it at my feet but makes a demand by throwing it at me from across the path. It’s what humans are for.

2b. We crocodile along the tiny stream: it turns from clear to muddy under our boots.

3. Lily’s anxiety fades away when she gets a cuddle from John. Later, Strange wakes, moves about six inches to her right then curls up in a tight ball against John’s leg.

4. The slow expansion of knots. The space remaining gradually gets smaller and smaller. (Then there is about another 2000 required on the other side of the piece.)

1. Our most pressing chores are finished quickly and we can spend the rest of the day in Westeros (and Slavers Bay).

2. I hold up squares from last month’s sampler to find the perfect fill stitch and it makes me want to make my own reference book of threads and stitches (printed books and online resources just don’t offer the same tactility).

2b. I decide on french knots even though it’ll take thousands to fill the small space. Progress is slow but pleasant, and the resulting deep texture is a perfect contrast to the simple, flat design.

3. The strongest rainbow I’ve seen in a long time (and a fainter one a little way beyond it). Surprised bird chattering once the downpour stops. The beck gushing in its quick response.

3b. The milk slowly turns lemon as the yolk breaks up.

1. About five years ago, our car stereo was stolen and we’ve never bothered to replace it. Our journeys happen to a soundtrack of debates and skits. There is a political discussion (specifically about Eich and ESR) as we sit in traffic going across the city but later it’s sillier – how Bradford City might be playing my old primary school (since the colours are the same), about the ominous storage tanks near White Abbey Rd and about the 4×4 that happily mounts curbs but avoids speed bumps.

1b. Lily is grumbling because she can’t sit on a chair. Her granny passes me a towel, which I spread out on the seat a split second before a grateful Lily takes her place.

1c. I love it when dogs use cushions as pillows.

2. Even though we’re already seated with menus, we decide to change restaurants. A few minutes later, we’re sat in another place with new menus and we’re sure it’s right this time.

2b. The fish pakora is cooked perfectly: a spicy orange crust around flakes of white. Later, sweet lamb held in fluffy bread, a little marinaded onion and a dip of sauce.

3. I watch the cats watching the little quadcopter. Later, I dangle a piece of string while we chat and Tilda jumps to and fro.

0. I wake to the sound of John’s alarm and realise it’s the first time I’ve stirred all night.

1. Cheap bus fare there and back – my return journey costs 50p less than a single on the other route.

1b. The afternoon is a bit of a bust – there isn’t as much of the usual laughter and bonhomie and it feels like more things have gone wrong for me than right. But when I get home and review it properly – looking at the photographs of the works-in-progress and inspecting the finished pieces – I see it’s not all as bad as I’d first feared. I do though learn a “do it better” lesson: slow down again, stop trying to take short cuts.

2. We meet a slight dog with a big stick, a very excitable puppy who has to run fast to catch up with her dad, two slow brown labs and a quietly friendly tan chap, whose puppy buddy makes me laugh: she drops and rolls to show her belly every few steps.

3. Good burgers.

4. I restart last night’s embroidery pattern on calico. My outline can be finer: smoother but still bold. I take the time to get it right.

Thurs 3rd

1. The crows circle the ponies in the field.

1b. Daffodils and forsythia. Violet aubretia and grape hyacinths. Magenta flowers on the heather and primroses in the same colour with yellow centres.

1c. The attentive springer watches the ball as its dad takes to a passing cyclist.

2. John’s giddy excitement on the arrival of a new toy.

3. It might be basic but my lightbox does the trick.

3b. The design is stitched quickly. I like big projects that creep forward to a huge satisfying finish but little ones are fun too.

1. The vivid orange and green on the boulders and rocks in the oak wood.

2. I should be cleaning the bathroom but instead I sit in my favourite chair with a cup of tea and read a new comic book. Lily joins me.

3. We have turned over the big box while vacuuming and this makes it new and exciting again. Two cats climb into it together and I expect a kerfuffle but after a period of quiet, I lift the lid to see they’re sat sweetly together.

3b. We decided the inner monologue of prawns is just the word “prawn” repeated in a singsong tone.

4. Just before bedtime I read about something that is very exciting but within my reach: an amazing pottery technique that can be done at home and reuses household items. Perfect.