sunshine by Diego Patrian

it's a beautiful day ...

I take the train into work, it is very straightforward and the journey time is only five minutes max. I work in a town so taking the car isn't the easiest of options, with the volume of traffic and parking costs to consider. In my previous job, with ample free parking, I chose to take four wheels, and only took the train when I really, really had too.

Drat and double drat, I now work longer hours. Not that I necessarily have to, but these come part and parcel of my new job, and in this climate you really can't afford to be fussy. One regret is I don't have nearly enough time to do all that I enjoy, not only is my blog suffering, my garden suffering, my home suffering, I am suffering!

A redeeming feature of my new job is I do have a very pleasant walk from my home to the station, and from the station to my place of work. You come to realise when you use your own two feet, what you miss being sat at the wheel. Take this morning, what a beautiful day, the sky was clear blue and the sunshine was warm, and for the first time in days, woolly gloves didn't come as standard!

It is such a delight to witness the sights and sounds of the early birds, robins, blackbirds and bluetits and to get a glimpse of front gardens along the way too. You can discover a good idea or two from someone else's patch, and also be reminded of what possibly not to do on your own. Such a shame, some in a state of neglect, being inhabited by non-green fingers, rented, or by someone who just doesn't have enough hours in the day; and gardens being used as litter bins by inconsiderate passers by, strewn with the likes of Coke tins, takeaway containers and the like.

Even though our car stands on the driveway most days now, I would miss it if it wasn't there; but one thing I don't miss is standing outside frozen to the core, on a cold and frosty winter's morning, scraping ice from the windscreen!