SEVENOAKS

I awoke this morning to a dawn chorus of very noisy birds and looked out of the window to check what was going on.  Above us, there must have been 100 black birds with wings that pointed backwards - wrens, Alan told me later - flying in what seemed to be a mass of blackness, above the garden.  They suddenly flew off - as one - only to return about 10 minutes later to continue their discussion.

But it was great to be up at that hour, because it gave me the opportunity to take a photo of the fabulous scene that Christine and Alan look out on each day.

Around 9.30 a.m. Julia came round and we actually went to a meeting at that church, at which a friend and neighbour of hers gave her testimony about answered prayer - her little son (now aged 4) was born with a very serious heart defect, requiring immediate surgery after birth, and the ongoing battle to remain positive against all odds.  As can be expected, I spent most of the time wiping up wayward tears.

Halfway through, workmen began repairing the roof of the church with much clattering and banging.  Julia told me that the lead on the roof had all been stolen one night - and that this was quite a common occurrence for local churches, evidently.

Having taken numerous 'proud aunty' photographs of Darcy's 3rd birthday party, with the camera card still left in the computer, there is no photographic evidence of the happy time that was had by all.  Today, Julia found the photos on the camera, but without the proper lead extension, we can't seem to do anything about it.  Tomorrow may see us taking a visit to her friendly camera shop because, it now seems, I was the only person taking a variety of photos.

However, today I did get a couple of the birthday girl, shortly after we'd spent a little while making up a felt bag for her

Sevenoaks is another area that I really like - and it's quite close to Sutton Valence.  I've been coming to the area since my first visit in 1969, and I was here on the day that the underground bombings occurred in London. Had Julia not asked me to stay on another day, I could well have been much too close for comfort at the time.  So it was good to just go for a short drive to a local garden centre for a browse, and to allow Darcy to feed some fish (these are for you Sgt Glithero!) this afternoon.

I've at last packed a box to send home ... my summer clothes are no longer required, and I seem to have acquired much more over the past three months than my suitcase will allow.  Having the car is so handy - it acts as a portable trunk (literally), but encourages me not to throw things out, so I've been arriving at houses looking like the original (plastic) bag lady and it was time to take stock and get myself sorted out again.

Julia tells me that the forecasters are suggesting that by the end of the week winter will really be upon us - and Chris tells me that come November, we've been told to expect the first snow.  I'll believe that when I see it, but meanwhile it's good to have sorted out the few winter clothes that I have brought with me.

I'm NOT dreaming of a white Christmas - Santa may well enjoy travelling in such conditions, but I'd prefer the runway at Heathrow to be ice and snow free on the 29th if possible.