Book day

As a fair weather walker and birdwatcher, I have to say I am not liking this weather at all. Today I woke up to sleet, followed by rain, followed by very strong winds....not impressed. 
Hubby has finished work for this year but went out to an all day games session in Liverpool, so I was once again on my own. 
I took the opportunity to read one of my Christmas books - Jeffrey Archer's new short stories - Tell Tale. It's a very easy read with the usual predictable endings to some of them, a few unexpected surprises and the now obligatory start of the next book(not published until Nov 2018), but I did enjoy it. 
Have been researching what to serve up for my parents on New Year's Eve. We never go out partying, but prefer a nice meal and an evening of board games. The starter will be Coquilles St Jacques, and the dessert Lemon Meringue Ice cream, but I haven't settled on the main yet - still sifting through the cookery books. 

This afternoon whilst I have been reading there has been some sort of altercation on the back lawn - a pigeon has come to grief. My bet is a sparrow hawk or next door's cat, although I never heard or saw anything...now that would have made a good blip, even if would have been a bit gruesome! So instead you get this not so great shot of a jenny wren as it's all I have.