Allegedly it was going to be 18 today - but it started grey and dreary and windy and continued in like vein all day, until now when it is sunny and windy.

The pseudo-broody hen had deserted her egg and was ranting about being locked up so I let her out with the rest of the birds and she is now ranting about being loose. So I am ignoring her and looking up recipes for older birds ...

That was the sum total of my outdoor activity today and I sat a sewed instead. Now those of you who know I had promised myself I would be working hard this week no doubt find this disappointing. But the good news is that I was actually working. I have been given a long-stitch tapestry to do for money...

I have always been of the view that longstitch is to tapestry what colour-by-numbers is to art, and I was right. It is not particularly challenging. It is however a huge picture - about A2 in size. A map of Australia that is decorated with various images of Sturt Desert Peas, emus, harbour bridges, and so forth to designate the characteristics of the relevant state. Today I made it from the Indian Ocean to the entrance to the Great Australian Bight, with various omissions where alternate colours come in to signify waves. All terribly boring, so I will have earned my money through pain and suffering I suspect. Still, it is all in a good cause.

Other than that, not much has happened so I am currently heating up a second serving of last night's Beef Vindaloo, though why I am bothering to heat it is a mystery. Despite reducing the chilli quotient by half, it is still sinus-clearingly hot. I had to eat a bowl of yoghurt last night to soothe my palate, so will presumably need to do the same again today - possibly two bowls as after 'developing' overnight, it may yet be hotter still - aaargh!