Minus 5

Good grief it was cold first thing this morning!

Everything was glistening when the sun started to creep round the hill, but it took hours to defrost. In fact some areas in the deepest shade are still solid. I won't be digging parsnips or skirret for a few days.

The truck really feels like a garden shed on mornings like this. The insulation has deteriorated over the years, so when it is below about -2C I find myself in four layers of clothes in addition to having a heater at its maximum. This morning's -5C is about as cold as it ever gets (thankfully) but I was in five layers, plus a blanket round my legs as I ate breakfast. It's a bit miserable to be honest, which is why I am looking forward so much to the time when I can afford to get a new building.

However, there is only one more winter after this in the truck, and then I will have the new-build kitchen and bathroom - super-insulated, well-heated and in full sun. Winter mornings will take on quite a new aspect.

By the way, this morning Bean was buried in three blankets and almost on top of the heater - snoring gently.

In the last week or so I have exchanged a number of emails with the last boss I had when I worked in Scotland. Since I left the UK we have regularly burbled at each other about fruit and veg growing, and shared news and views about life's notable ups and downs (often dog-related). 

In the most recent correspondence - after he had bragged about his tomatoes and beans - we found ourselves reminiscing about some of the work for which he gave me wings. To continue to receive thanks for something I did 20+ years ago is extraordinarily precious. It consolidates his place in my professional heart as Best Boss Ever. People like him are rare and I treasure his friendship.