"Leaves were falling just like embers.
In colors red and gold they set us on fire.
Burning just like a moonbeam in our eyes. "

So the song goes and there is absolutely nothing else to be said about the beautiful autumn ambience walking around the Durham Woods and City Market area in the graceful afternoon light. On the way in I saw two jets with a contrail each behind them cutting across each other at an angle thousands of feet up but because there is so little moisture in the cold air up there today the contrails lasted for about 10 seconds and then just vanished. Wonderful.

Fiona is laid up with sinusitis and  flu and probably anything else nasty which is wandering around at the moment so couldn't come out for a walk with us. Miles had a day off during the week with a nasty cold so he is working the weekend to catch up. Very good doggy and he is really getting into the work ethic as well as the Mathematics. Good lad. So, it was just my youngest Clifford and me to trail around the trail getting some strides in and enjoying the quiet. Clifford brings out the quiet in me and it is always very peaceful walking with him. We stopped for biscuit break at the Cloisters in Durham Cathedral and then we went into the Cathedral and there was an all woman choir singing which was very beautiful particularly the low contraltos who were putting a lovely resonance and foundation to the music. Very nice. I love choral music I really do.

It was quite a laugh at biscuit break because I told Clifford about a rather speculative bit of social research somewhere I can't remember that says basically boys tend to marry women who are like their mothers in their personalities. He asked me where I got this from and I said I couldn't remember but I also said don't believe me look it up for yourself. He said "Don't worry dad I believe you, you have a very convincing demeanour!". "Convincing demeanour" I think he is totally right there and he is very good at finding the right word, expression and occasionally even a verbal paragraph to capture the moment. Good lad he has really come on in the last few months.

So, the lads are busy, the wife has been cuddled with a great listen to" Old Ideas" by Leonard Cohen and now it is time to go into the "lets cook something nice for the family mode". I have some major dissatisfactions at the moment mainly to do with work, that is not getting it and music that is, not getting somebody to play it with, but I have to say they pale into insignificance compared to the security, good feeling and love of my family. And friends by the way. I think a lot about the people I used to know, the ones I am in contact with  now as well as the ones I have not seen for 20 years. I pray for my friends and every time I go down to York and have a truck around the Minster I always go to the Prayer Chapel and say prayers for my mother-in-law, family and a guy I used to know in York called Simon Hoban who sadly, died last year. I truly hope that all of my friends achieve what they want to achieve in life, are happy and also that I may see all of them again one day.  I was thinking a bit  about a woman I knew in the 80s called Jane Docherty and what a fine lady she was . I hope I see her again one day.