1. A very chatty vet. There are no other patients waiting so he gives Lily a very thorough examination and explains to everything to us clearly.

2. I finally can plant out my squashes and other things, like fennel and lettuce seedlings, and in the new plastic greenhouse tomatoes, aubergines and a cucumber. (I’m spreading my greenhouse stuff between my three greenhouses to see what grows best where.) The tiny seedlings all look scrawny in the expanses of soil but they’ll grow, oh yes, they’ll grow.

3. After dinner, we wander over to the supermarket to buy ice creams. It’s warmer outside than it is at home.

1. For the last lesson of my coloured clay course, we have a raku firing session to see how that’s different. My raku pieces are disappointing but I pick up my conventionally fired pieces from the first week – they’re lovely.

2. I’ve popped the smaller chilli seedlings back into the heated propagator to give them a warmth boost: it works, they nearly double in size in a day.

3. A big cup of tea on the balcony.

3b. I climb up the hill and sit in a sunny spot on the edge of the woodland. Later, we walk through the meadow – well, I walk, Lily springs.

1. The previous night’s wind barely touched the allotments. I’m pleased to see how my beans and peas managed to get a good grip before the weather turned.

2. The bass drum is powerful yet round. The vocals beautifully harmonise and provided so much extra texture. The sound in general is amazing – full but we’re able to pick everything out separately if we try.

2b. The way he lifts his heels is terribly endearing.

2c. The worst thing about the gig is that I know how many possible shows we’ve missed over the last few years (we’ve been trying to see them for at least three): I know we’ll see them again but we can’t make those up now.

3. Gelato on the way home/to O’s to pick up Lily.

3b. The moon has tempted us for the whole journey. We look at it through the binoculars during Lily’s bedtime wee until our eyes smart from the brightness.

1. Kaufman wants to sleep on the exact same spot as my keyboard. I work at an angle to let him.

2. I finalise some long pending stitching designs. (Though I’ve kinda promised myself that I won’t start them until I’ve finished my crewel project.)

3. My fever gives cold John another reason to hug me in bed and his coolness is very welcome for once.

1. John tries making hash brown (later just a straight-up hash, for ease of cooking) using sweet potatoes: they’re delicious but when I go into the kitchen, I have to laugh – the entire kitchen side is covered in scraps of peel and juliennned vegetables. It looks like a horrific tuber crime scene.

2. After a lazy day, the late sunshine pulls us into action. I shelter from the wind in the greenhouse and transplant some seedlings. A labeling mishap means I’m not quite sure what’s what until the sharp, fresh scent of cucumber – already evident on the young leaves – helps me identify one set of plants.

3. I pick up a neglected crochet project – the granny square blanket I made such speed on in April. I get into a rhythm with my sewing – poking my fingers through the holes to ensure even joining – and three rows are finished by bedtime.

1. Finishing a chore that’s been on my mental to-do list for years. The trellis hide the dirty wall and provide support for the fruit growing in the bed below. When I tie up flopped overgrown raspberry canes, the space opens up – it’ll be better for the plants too.

1b. Kaufman mews at us from various places in the garden. (He’s now asleep on my desk, in a ball between my keyboard and my screen.)

1c. Lily finally gives up – we’re clearly not going anywhere interesting and our work does not seem to be involving edible items – and goes to sleep in the sun.

2. Between the garden work and the bathroom cleaning, I get to escape for a short dog walk: Lily and I loop around the woods in the golden sunlight, and I get an affectionate lean from Friendly Black Dog too.

3. I nearly didn’t have it but oh my, I’m glad I did: the sauce that comes with shashliks is the crack of curry sauces, and the veg is the best grilled veg I’ve ever had too.

3b. I haven’t had Refreshers in years.