Spectacularly beautiful

Heaps of clouds in a vibrantly blue sky, bright sun and birdsong, a rustle of cereal grains green and lush. Bleating lambs and a worn track falling out before us. Every day is better than our best dreams for it.

Anthony's cottage, just up the lane from Captain Cook's place, is beautifully decorated and comfortable. It's full of his own superb photographs and some very fine local art work as well as copies of his two novels on well-stocked bookshelves. I am moved by his trust in a couple of women he has never met, and I hope we can leave it for him a little sweeter than it was when we came. Ginger biscuits at the very least.

After we walked for a while on the Cleveland Way, talking about Caedmon and St. Hilda, we decided to catch a bus to Whitby and see the place where they both lived and practiced their values: peace and kindness. As I write this, there is a sunset blazing across the sky, gulls crying and a little wisp of coal smoke. Heaven on earth.