Tea house

Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea. The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle.

I doze in the flat's comfortable bed, while Claire gets down to work. Finally, I get up and shower. It is time to get the day started.

By the time I get to Glasgow, the post office is shut, but Megan is waiting. The flat is looking good, although it's clear that it will be cold in winter. We sit on one of the many sofas and then head out for a bite to eat.

The café that Angus found is closed, so we walk onto the Great Western Road and go back to the Hug & Pint. This time, Megan has the jackfruit curry, while I try their aubergine with black pepper.

We walk through Kelvingrove. It's dry and not too cold, but autumn pervades, staring us down like street corner youths.

After a circuit, we head for Megan's favourite tea house, Tchai-Ovna. There's a huge menu of teas, which we peruse before settling on some cushions on the tiny stage. I chose gunpowder tea, which turns out more astringent than I like. Megan orders apple strudel tea, which is rich and sweet.

I head home and clean the chicken house. Gone are any thoughts of strimming. Instead, I light the stove and pick a lettuce for my tea. By the time I have eaten, watched a movie, and hung out the washing it's almost eleven. So much for an early night.