Andalusian stallion, by Hamish Mackie

Mr Mackie also made a sculpture of a camel, but I preferred this one. They're both situated within Cirencester park, which is part of the privately owned Bathurst estate, and is enormous. If you are not local to Cirencester, you have to pay to enter the park. We did. I suppose it helps to pay for the removal of the horse chestnut trees, which are now diseased, and their replacement with small leaved limes. The park has a few interesting sculptures and monuments. Very much a  formal stately home  swathe of parkland. 

Why was I there? Tessa, Annie and I had planned a walk. Annie was going to lead this time. But then she had to go and support someone whose daughter had just died unexpectedly, aged 60 (my age), and Tessa suggested the park, as we could combine it with other activities in the town. Tessa does dog walking and had had enough of mud lately, so we stuck to tarmac roads. 

I was having a headache-free day. Or rather, my  incipient headache  flared up for about five minutes, then went away. It's got to have something to do with my desk, and my neck. We talked about my getting a standing desk. 

After the park walk, we went into Cirencester to the Long Table, which is another local branch recently opened in a former department store  in the town centre. The street market was on, and all was jolly. The Long Table serves delicious food, and you pay what you feel you can afford for it. Then sit at Long Tables to enjoy the food with others. We had jewelled Aubergine with rice, and salads. There is also a a furniture recycling centre (depressing brown furniture) a  reconditioned bike store, and a department that offers clothing and toys to hard-up families. The Cirencester branch is definitely warmer than the Stroud / Brimscombe one!  I don't like the piped music, though. Reminds me of shouting to be heard in pubs. 

We had a great time afterwards, zooming around charity shops. I found a skirt, and in the same street, a pet shop in its own right, which is a rare thing these days. Indie needs some special food which I couldn't get there, but I found something similar, which will do. 

Once I got home I had a little rest. Friend V had decided not to go out with me because rain was forecast (she is not British, and therefore not made of grit and steel, lol ) but I went out anyway as I'd was late night shopping/Christmas carnival night in Stroud. We call it Goodwill evening. I missed the procession, and the church ead too crowded for me to even enter, but the rest was good. I got a necklace at a craft market, to replace a necklace I may have lost in Whitby. 

Next stop was the Town Surgery Christmas dinner, held at a venue in Stroud. This was delightful: good food, lovely function room, great company. I fear I may have started talking nonsense after we started drinking shots, which seems to be a thing they do. The other main surgery I work for has its do tomorrow night, and they dance instead of drinking shots, but I had to choose between the two, and I chose this one because I'd been to the other one for the last two years. Politics!

A GP gave me a lift home. I went to bed and took some paracetamol just in case I woke up with a hangover. Didn't get to sleep until stupid o'clock because Storm Darragh was blowing a hoolie by then. However, all in all, it was a Good day.