I have a slightly better day today, in terms of feeling that I have made myself useful. My wife goes Christmas shopping in Norwich this morning, not returning until late afternoon. I give “my corner” (the area that I habitually occupy in the lounge) a thorough clean, and go through all of the documents and mail that I have accumulated – getting rid of unnecessary paperwork, filling away utility bills, and prioritising documents that require my attention. I then clean one of the Chesterfield sofas in the lounge, washing the leather before applying leather “food”, and buffing it to a nice shine. Next on the agenda is the fireplace, and I wash the slate hearth and the outside of the wood burner. I split a few logs and fill the log basket, and then run the vacuum cleaner around downstairs. I take the dog for her afternoon walk, and light the fire just as my wife returns, laden down with shopping bags.