It is not possible to sink one’s head into a book for all the waking hours of the day. I am keen to make the best of my time before returning to Temple Balsall to repay all those many favours that are mounting up.

My research project is shaping up well – and I have the bare bones of a number of key stages emerging. A title and a clear sense of the shape of the chapters. The areas where I shall need to do more research and some sense of the core questions that I will try and wrestle with.

Sitting in the garden and watching the birds play and sing is relaxing. Attempting to master a few more recipes can be relaxing – pastry is not easy… and there is much waste and scratching of the head. Radio is good but music is best as background to sabbatical time.

In my search for some improving television I fell over what appeared to be one of those films that some call trash – Love Actually – with all those famous actors – Hugh Grant, that lovely lady who was married to someone or other and that funny girl form Eastenders (conclusion – not good with names – don’t have me on your pub quiz team).

The theme – the complete mess we get into when attempting to deal with falling in love. The mess is thrown up and out (a funeral, a shy girl in the office who can’t bear to ask another lad out, a rather over active secretary with her eyes on the boss, a crush on you best mates wife, a lonely Prime Minister, a doting man who comes home to discover his woman in bed with his brother – I could go on but I won’t!)

The mess gets worse and then it changes – helped with some well chosen background music – and do you know what happens??

Everyone – I tell you everyone – lives happily ever after!! What about that then – I was cheering!! Great and very good.

Tell me – why do people cry when they are happy??