Light and shade on Simonside

Some days I take lots of photographs and then it's the first one I like best. When I took it I zoomed in to reach the snowy top of the walk we enjoy, but it wasn't till I got it on the iPad now that I see the lovely shadows in the fields where the snow has melted.

I was in town to meet a friend for lunch and of course have a catch-up. We forgot the noisy office parties would be in full swing so it wasn't quite the relaxed occasion we expected. After that I went into Grainger Market for buttons for Thomas's "posh-boy" cardigan. Inflation has hit buttons - not long ago I got them for 3p each for plain ones there but now they are 12p. (I try to use old ones cut off raggy stuff but hadn't the right colour so had to splash out on new).

Then I got the metro to call on Ella and Nathaniel. She spent most of the time lying on her tummy and rattling down the stairs feet first. He was in fine form after his first try-out at nursery, which he starts when his mum goes back to work next term. He will be one next month. Nobody believed me when I said a few weeks ago he was saying words, but the nursery person told his mum he had said "Banana". I believe her. He and Thomas were playing with cars a couple of weeks ago so actually his very first word was "Crash!" Nobody believed me.
Sent from my iPad