Deja vu

The month ends just as it began, wet, dark and depressing but even colder. Huddling indoors with a book seems the only sensible option.

Playlist

The soundtrack to my life is contained in this playlist. I listen on shuffle, sometimes stopping to remember or sing along.

Catching up

A disappointing meal, but lots of chat and some happy news have an energising effect better than any drug.

Soup

Golden hues of butternut squash, carrot and sweet potato combine to bring sunshine to a dull, dark day.

Physical reaction

The wind is biting cold and as always my legs refuse to work as well as they should, alternating between painful stiffness and wobbly weakness.

Discomfort

He is distressed by the discomfort of a loose tooth. Instead of peeling the carrot he lifts it to his mouth and pokes at the offending molar.

Wet Saturday afternoon

The steadily increasing rain has sent shoppers scuttling to the coffee shop, which is humming with activity. Lack of seats influences a decision to head for the bus-stop instead.

Bare-faced

I sneak out of the house without make-up and walk in the opposite direction to the shops, hoping not to meet anyone I know.

Goal achieved

To achieve a walking goal brings a glow of satisfaction along with numb toes.

Sneaking more in

The charity shop yields two more books I would like to read - I hide them in the shelf space cleared by my last book declutter.

Vegetable box

The outer cardboard is damp and the recipe cards squashed inside are moulded around a bag of water-soaked curly green leaves.

Red light

Temporary traffic lights on the hill result in a queue of impatient drivers snaking down the hill and coiling around the roundabout.

Food shopping

Lively music playing in the background transports shoppers to a land between East and West, as they peruse the eclectic mix of foodstuffs amid chatter and bustle on an otherwise languid Sunday.

Patience

The bus driver waits unexpectedly as I hobble as fast as I can towards the stop. I thank him as I press my pass onto the machine.

Delivery complete

We enjoy the feeling of satisfaction when all the ordered groceries arrive and our weekend meal plans will not be disrupted.

Yarn

The black and silver yarn twinkles in the box of oddments. It screams scarf and I can't resist.

Telephone

Awaiting a call leaves me anxious and distracted.

Library

The space has been rearranged but the books look elderly and neglected, in need of some loving care.

Chansons

A charity shop bargain CD reminds me yet again that the language of French songs so often seems to have more depth than their English translations. I allow myself to be swept away by the emotion.

Shopping for delicacies

Two tiny dogs jump with excitement by the pavement fruit and veg stall. The young man juggles their leads and tries to attract the shopkeeper's attention, wanting to buy a pomegranate without entering the shop with the animals.

Soup maker

The shiny kitchen gadget on show in the shop is bigger and heavier than I expected or could handle. I feel relieved that I'd not used mail order and am no longer tempted to buy it.

Postal error

The lady behind the counter smiles as I attempt to send the package for a second time with an explanation of what had gone wrong.

Water once again

The glug, glug, glug sound of the washing machine as water enters into pipes air-locked by yesterday's temporary loss of the mains supply, is followed by a reassuring gush.

Eavesdropper

The toothless old lady sits in the coffee shop with a companion, who reads a newspaper in silence. She appears to listen to our conversation, from time to time grimacing or chuckling out loud in a rather disconcerting manner.

Christmas temptation

The rapidly emptying box of chocolates calls to me every time I walk past.

Emptiness

The house embodies the feelings inside me.

Nocturnal visitor

In the darkness a sound from the depths of the garden - a strangled yelping but not quite a dog's bark. Switching on another light indoors makes the sound go away.

Coffee shop customer

Waiting alone at a table, he breaks occasionally into stereotypical movements of the arms to accompany his piercing gaze.

Forbidden fruit

The elegant chocolate box lies open, inviting exploration. The creamy taste of the sugared sphere explodes in the mouth, inevitably leading to further temptation.

Charity shop

A musty smell assaults the senses on crossing the threshold and there are no hidden diamonds, despite the rainbow colours of sari silk.

New year blues

Yet again the curtains are drawn to block out the howling wind and teeming rain, the Christmas tree twinkles in the corner. A new year has begun in exactly the same manner that the old finished.