The nurse

There's only so much nursemaiding you can do.

Apart from preparing sumptuous feasts for my mother (say thank you to Sainsbury's - Ed), I keep nipping out to buy little goodies to stop me from getting bored. That, and clearing mum's fridge out. She seems to think that it's a badge of honour to let food go mouldy and then save it for the pan. Me, I chuck it away.

In searching for the ingredients for a salad tonight I binned a carrier bag full of stuff including some mouldy tomatoes that mum said she'd chop up and cook. To me mould means penicillin and I prefer to get mine from the doctor. (By the way, how is your little problem now? - Ed).

Despite looking forward to it, I'd sort of forgotten what cold weather feels like and didn't pack enough warm clothes. At home one layer feels like lead, but here three layers feels a little light and that's in the sunshine. As you suffer the oppressive heat of home it's difficult to imagine how to dress at much lower temperatures. Still I've always said that it's easier to put on another layer when you're cold but there's only so much you can take off.

Harrogate made the giddying heights of 16C today with a cold wind blowing. A true summer's day, but nothing that a bit of chocolate won't sort out.