Eight days start today

We got to Hay for the annual festival in four hours with one stop - not bad considering the heavy traffic. Relaxed start before that with coffee in Basil and Blue, a favourite haunt in Chobham where we met Henry and his two assistants.

Had our annual welcoming tapas in Tomatitos before walking down to the festival site. Bought a book. Well it is a festival of literature, culture and the arts. And the festival bookshop is so lovely.

Sad to turn up at our accommodation and hear that Dai the cat had been killed a couple of months before on a nearby busy road. Other than that, good to be back, and we got hugs from our host Alyson who is a local schoolteacher and had just finished for half term.

Ros Atkins was the only event this evening - a BBC journalist who has written a book called The Art of Explanation. Astonishingly clear speaker. I shall be buying his book tomorrow.

TSM took a lovely picture of me so I have a new profile picture. If I look happy it is because I am.