I took another lateral flow test today and, as I’ve had 2 consecutive days of negative tests, I’ve been able to visit my brother.

In other news, we’ve been unpacking, washing and putting away quite a lot of our collection of glasses. I didn’t feel the need to get it all done - I can’t remember the last time the sherry glasses got used - but the wine glasses are all sparkling clean. I’ve also rearranged things so that the Christmas liqueur, the mulled wine and the bottle of Bucks Fizz are no longer lurking in a dark corner. In fact, I may hit the mulled wine this evening as it’s been a week I’d rather not repeat. As well as my friend Jane’s husband, a friend who used to belong to our local camera club also died on Monday. And my sister has been in hospital since Sunday but thankfully is starting to regain some strength.

And as I’m taking any win I can get today, I was home from my final supermarket shop before 8am, and I followed the advice I received from Brendan the Bake-Off finalist and have managed to produce some mince pies with pastry that’s not as tough as old boots!