1. I open the curtains and the cat is bathed in sunlight.

1b. A beautiful thing wrestles my laptop for attention while I write up my beautiful things.

1c. Tilda wants to come into my craft space with me. It, and the room beyond, are usually shut off from the rest of the house and I suspect she wants to enjoy the rare chance to explore but she stays with me, purring and keeping an eye on what I’m doing.

2. I like the stories behind small companies and this one is a good one: the world has changed around them but four passionate generations still work together on their business’ next evolutionary step.

3. The stitches are slightly uneven but somehow that adds to the effect.

1. The spring flowers in the front garden do make me smile. I’ll plant more bulbs for next year. In the meantime, I sneak little aubertia plugs in the spaces between them.

1b. Tilda walks along the stone wall. When she reaches me, I bend to kiss her and she stretches up to accept it.

2. I repeatedly poke Lily, trying to get her to look at me. She seems to know what I want so is refusing, playing the game. Eventually I give in and she finally looks at me with what I swear is an “I win” expression.

2b. Kaufman peeks around the column as Strange, who has been cool and distant all day, chirps and pads over for a hug.

3. We have to wait a long time for our main meals to arrive but they’re worth it: rich sauces and perfectly cooked meat.

1. I like it when the laundry fits perfects on the airer. Four heavy things, twelve tops and four rows, two on each side, of socks and underwear.

2. The cute little dog in the cute little jacket wants to eat the bus ticket from its mum’s hand. She sits down and lets it nibble.

3. The pieces are still warm from the kiln.

4. We play with Lily’s new bone. She bounces around the two rooms, wrestling me for it, chasing after it and teasing me, keeping it just out of my reach so I can’t take it off her – but really, that’s what she wants most of all: it’s how the game starts again.

5. We get to the fish’n’chip shop just before a small rush. After placing our order, John ducks out of the foyer to stand with me and Lily in the cold. His face smells like hot oil and vinegar.

1. The lecturer pronouces words I’ve only seen written and as I walk around the woods, I repeat them as if I’m learning a new language. (I am, somewhat.)

2. Manually recolouring hundreds of virtual stitches might seem tedious but it’s actually surprisingly fun.

3. The previously chopped onions – red and spring – tumble from their little tub into the pan. It makes me feel like a TV chef: prepared and visually interesting.

1. A morning of happy emails and interactions.

2. My mackerel pate served with (amongst other things) a wedge of good cheddar.

2b. I find some lime juice in the cupboard – just what I needed.

3. About twenty years late, the embedded half of my last baby tooth finally decides to follow its comrades. I’d forgotten the pleasurable pain of a wobbly tooth and the relief, and soft gumminess, after its eventual departure.

1. I pick him up and tell him to look out of the window at all the birds. He doesn’t though: his head is back, his eyes are closed and he’s purring loudly.

1b. Strange sits next to me at lunch, on her back with her legs stretched out – a position she’s learnt from the dog? Later, when we get in from our walk and she gets in from hers, she and Lily sniff each other and rub faces.

1c. Tilda seems constantly conflicted: between being timid and shy, and craving attention. Her switch between the two states happens with a burst of energy, an excited head shake and a bound.

2. I like the early stage of the redesign process – the bit where I’m playing with fonts and colours in Inkscape, and don’t have to think about how to make it actually work on the site. I try dozens of different combinations before I decide on (what may or may not be) the final one.

2b. I notice there is a fine line between “cute/fun hand sketched font” and “serial killer scratched into something with a knife font”.

3. I’ve been a bit on edge all day so partly as a distraction, we go out to the new local steak place for dinner. The fries are much saltier than I’d ever make them but also light and crisp; the steak is perfectly pink yet seared beautifully; and the brownie for dessert has been sprinkled with just enough bitter cocoa to make it interesting.