A very mellow Saturday. We have decided to buy a new car and have been wittering away about that and what a great decision it is and will save us a lot of money and this provided the backdrop to a steady walk around the Durham Woods under a many clouded, moody and changing sky.

The ground had dried out considerably as it quickly does so walking boots were not necessary for a change. Fiona is getting a lot fitter, legging it along with us and chatting away at the same time. Thank goodness for that and walking always comes through eventually in terms of health and fitness.

There were not many people around as we went past the Durham Arboretum a sort of Wood Museum and it will be nice when all the students come back because they do liven up the place up a bit. Biscuit break was very lively in Durham Cathedral Cloisters as there were groups of children aged around 3 to about 8 running around the cloisters having a wail of a time. Good for them. After our munching and crunching we breezed around the Cathedral and it was quiet, spiritual and solidly lapping on the shores of its great and very long history. Nice!

Because I had forgot to get a birthday card for Fiona I slunk off to the card shop and got her a wonderful card which I know she will like. I need to improve as a husband sometimes when it comes to all this card business. When we got back home we had a nice crash out and cuddle listening to Leonard Cohen Live in London and I am now preparing up the venison meatballs, fresh pasta, tomato sauce and garlic bread to feed the hungry hordes. Miles stayed at home today to crack on with his mathematics which he is really getting into and he is working weekends to train himself up for when he will be doing that in his possible career as a maths researcher. He will see and so will we. And on that positive but ambiguous note the next stage of the Saunders-Priem's Saturday afternoon proceeds : eating loads of food!