This morning we drove to Salisbury for New Year drinks with Sir Edward Heath at his superb home in Salisbury Cathedral Close, meeting other locals we saw once or twice a year under similar circumstances when living in Broad Chalke. On the return we dropped into an eatery / cafÈ in Sherborne, one of my favourite Dorset towns (often confused with Sherborne, Gloucestershire, as in The IACE, Sherborne House). The owner introduced himself: he has only recently moved out of our village, apparently.
Toyah has left, returning to Canterbury. We had dinner in the village inn before she left, and before that took down the ornaments from the Christmas tree. These will reappear next December, along with the red flashing heart on a stick waved at Peter Pan (and made in Salisbury). I have taken down the cards. This is now the end of Christmas holidays for me, a time I have much enjoyed being with the Horse.
Now, the transition back to active mode is about to begin. Tomorrow paper, packing, visiting World Central, driving to London for a Nashville-bound flight on Wednesday.