What was a nice, tidy raised bed...

... is now a bit of a mess! Went up in the dark on Tuesday to replenish the chicken feed and check the girls were OK. Unusual amount of clucking from the coop & three chickens appeared out of the dark. Then I notice Paige chicken getting ready to settle down for the night in a wicker basket outside the chicken pen. She'd got out during the day, and not only that but she'd decided to rearrange my growing lettuce as part of her quest for worms.

The rest of the sisterhood were unusually hungry, which is why they came out of the coop... not typical when it's dark. The new feeder had somehow got a bit damp and the feed had stuck in there.

Other than planting lettuce out (the photo was taken as I admired the finished result on Monday) progress has been all about more digging of raised beds and putting on compost ready for the frost to break up the earth. When I've finished in the next few days it'll be on to the new plot and digging virgin ground... really looking forward to that! Also really need to tidy out the shed, which is full of frost sensitive plants from the garden.

Popped into hospital this morning for the consultant to take a peek in my bladder... all fine and set for another six or so applications of medicine. Fascinating to watch the screen and see inside yourself, and wasn't at all uncomfortable. So this evening, after a short walk around the estate with Linda to admire the fireworks and a chinese takeaway, I had a celebratory Famous Grouse.

Although I'm in the ascendency at tennis against Barry it's been disaster on the squash front against son David. Lost last month and I've lost the first two matches of this month! Winter has never been the best time to play for me. My game is based on running the opponent into the ground... yes, even now at 57, which doesn't sound particularly sustainable but I still can so long as it's really hot. Mid summer when it's above 25 degrees centigrade is perfect for me. So unless a miracle happens this month I'm looking at a defeat and the end of this year's competition. I'll have to consider tying his shoelaces together. The score is now...

Half year: 1-0 to David (5-1 in months)

Current half year months: 3-1 to David

Current month matches: 2-0 to David (6-1 in games)