GP

...Short for Granny Pam. This is my mother, who caused me to run off to London on Tuesday. I went to pick her up from Kings Cross. She travelled down from Dundee on the train but didn't feel confident to make the crossing over London to catch the connection to Guildford alone. I'll forgive her. Sometimes we look at her and forget she is 84 years young.

We arrived back home quite late in the evening, then yesterday I forgot I was supposed to be out on a shoot. Short of beaters, I plucked up courage, donned the wet gear and left Mum in front of the telly for the day. It was one of those days when wet gear looses it's efficiency and the rain penetrates every seam. Soaked to the skin, after a bath and a meal together, work called so I have to back blip a couple of days.

This morning the sun was out. I took Mum for a quick tour of Guildford Strangely warm, we opted to have a coffee outside and watch the Christmas shoppers pass by. The shops weren't as busy as I imagined they would be, but the traffic was intense.

Mother isn't up to climbing hills but the dogs still deserved a walk. so we headed for flat ground, the canal again. The Wey was running furiously and has broken it's banks in many places. The torrent seems to have scared off the wildlife. The flood meadows are once again under water. We saw only a few Canada geese grazing at the margins of the rising flood and a handful of mallards, heads under their wings on the banks.

I've been amused for those who thought today might be the last on earth and more thankful that this is the shortest day. I'm very much looking forward to regaining daylight.