Jolie laide

Truly a face that only a mother could love, wouldn't you say? What was especially adorable about these moorhen chicks was the fact that as they moved through the water, not only were their little feet paddling nineteen to the dozen but their tiny wings were flapping - presumably in a vain attempt to supply some extra propulsion. Add in the rather stylish red linings to those wings and they were truly irresistible.

Good things that happened today: I had to take the end-of-year paperwork to the accountants in Stratford, and R found the time to go with me - so after running my errand cake was eaten, followed by an enjoyable stroll along the canal bank to get back to the car. As well as the moorhens, I very much enjoyed watching a pair of mute swans grooming themselves on one of the stretches of canal where I've previously seen a nest. By the time the car parking was running out this had turned into synchronised grooming, which at this time of year generally means one thing only - but sadly I didn't have time to stay and photograph the denouement. My final shot is here as an extra; the rest of the sequence can be found in Swanupmanship on Facebook.

Then this evening we went to the Regal in Evesham to see Lion - which I urge you to see, if you haven't already. The entire cast was very good, but Sunny Pawar who plays the young Saroo was astonishing. I was in tears through much of the film, and pretty much in bits by the end. R, I think, just had a bit of something in his eye.

Bad things that happened today: nothing. Today was a good day!