Holcombe

Mild, fine and still weather - and relatively little mud - made this morning's walk particularly enjoyable. And for me it was another voyage of discovery.

We climbed steadily through the Northern reaches of Painswick, crossing the golf course to the Beacon. (I once walked North starting from there, with Leo, but don't remember the outlook being so extensive - not that one could see any great distance today.)

Descending Westwards, the four of us passed across the Gloucester road and through the various Holcombe farmsteads, eventually climbing back via the drive to Painswick House.

This hundred-year-old letter box would be at home in The Shire.

Victoriana

The ever-resourceful Barry has been here today, fixing our letter-box. After 140 years' service, it had lost its zip, or rather its spring. We rather feared we needed a new one, but no: Barry has bodged it back into working order, and what's more given it a good polish. Even though an annoying quantity of "Do not fold" envelopes end up, folded, on our mat, it's worth it to preserve something with this degree of originality, don't you think?

It's certainly worth getting Barry back (for a variety of jobs): the world is soon set to rights when he's on his tea break. Including (today): "That Vidic shouldn't have been on the field more than five minutes."