Tuesday 26th April, morning.

First morning of three with Ruby and Lola. I was going to collect Ruby and bring her back here, but that would be stupid with my poor left foot. A combination of things mean I was walking barefoot in the park yesterday. So once Lola arrives we'll go up to Chestnut Avenue.

The allotment will need to go to the back of the queue for the remainder of the week, until at least Friday, but I did quite a lot yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon I found myself skipping through The Moon and Six Pence, which is a delightful novel, but I thought it was a story based on Paul Cezanne which is not the case. It's a narrative based on the life of Paul Gauguin... Both important Postimpressionist artists. It doesn't matter which of these two giants of the painting landscape it is a tale told about as it's nothing other than a novel by Somerset Maugham...

Mother is suffering from old age: is this what happens to us all? In the end we dissolve back into the dust we came? Obviously it is!

Mike suggested I put him in a hand cart if he's unable to walk, but it might be me in that particular wheel barrow? My body isn't working well now. Hands, knees, feet and eye. Just now I think I pulled a tendon in my back just sat in the chair with my left foot raised... The decline and fall of Daniel Joseph Sherburn BA.