Thursday, 6 March 2007

In contrast to the frantic pace of yesterday, I had a leisurely start this morning. Since early January, Jackie has fed the birds each morning. We now know our birds pretty well - the almost tame robins, the sedentary pigeons, the bickering blackbirds, the shy chaffinches, and the numerous starlings. All our birds have one thing in common - they are not remotely threatened by aged Ken, our decrepit cat. If there is another cat nearby, they won't dare land and feed. But Ken can potter around the garden within feet of them and they all completely ignore each other. Except when the hoppity Magpies are about, and then they chase bewildered Ken back into the house.

Today I attended a community development networking event at the Fielder Centre, just a ten minute drive from home. The event was staged by Inspire East and was very useful with some good presentations. But even after forty-odd years, community development is still in its infancy here – I was rather taken aback to hear experienced professionals say they “provided community development” to neighbourhoods.

I was home by 5:00 pm and Jackie and I had a lovely evening together, pleasingly rounded off by triumphing over two Daily Telegraph crosswords.