Small Triumphs

Only a really old friend knows you so well that she'll ring to tell you Joan Baez is going to be on Woman's Hour in a few minutes. And so it was that, completely engrossed in her magnificent voice, and even tolerating the grovelling, rehearsed tones of the oh-so-passe Jenni Murray, I forgot Hugo had popped outside for his duties. He must have been standing at the back door for a good 10 minutes as I relived my musical past, and didn't attempt to attract my attention. He was chilly but fine when I rescued him and covered him in hugs. Then Sarah rang to tell me she was going to try and reach Fram, and did I want anything. At last! Now I shall make the Victoria sponge I've ached for all week, and it shall be fat and high and filled with butter icing and jam. I'm salivating at the thought. I'll even ignore for a moment the fact that I've never managed to achieve a decent cake in my miserable Rayburn oven.

With my premium bonds at full capacity I really expected a goodly win this month, but all I got was a measly £125. It reminds me of a T shirt my little girls had once. It said "My folks went to New York and all I got was this lousy T shirt!" The other one asked "Have you hugged your kid today?" which, back in the early 80s, was quite avant garde.

Jack finally came with the logs. He is a young man fair of face and full of grace, so nice that I didn't mind standing out in the freezing cold chatting to him. For an extra fiver he wheeled the contents of his truck around the garden to the woodshed and stored them for me. Was he related to the famous Fentons who are known throughout this part of Suffolk? Yes. Ray the chimney sweep is his uncle, and John Lockwood who now works with Ray is his son-in-law, Jack's cousin by marriage. I asked about Sam Fenton, a charming chap who delivered logs to us as we sojourned in Westleton who cheerfully explained the three missing fingers on his right hand. The 'forester' he was using to split the wood got stuck, and so he reached in to clear it. Jack's dad, Sam's brother, was with him at the time and took him to hospital. He kept nearly fainting, encouraged on by the victim. It hasn't stopped Sam. They are a huge family, 13 boys in Jack's father's generation, all working on the land or in self-employed trades. Lots of them have done jobs for me and I've liked them all. Jack will be back to cut my hedge. Another good find.