Friday 06/01/06

Mrs B's son + girlfriend leave for Glasgow early in the morning. It's a day like many before. Windy, bright and cold. There's talk of snow in southern England, after which warmer weather will sweep in from the west. Tropical Depression Zeta is dying out in the Atlantic, which heralds the end of a very lively 2005 hurricane season. This had 27 named storms, 14 hurricanes, of which Katrina was the worst - causing $80bn worth of damage to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, and taking 1,300 lives. The next decade will continue to be lively on that score. Helped mrs B pack up her Christmas trees, together with the helping hands of two of her grandchildren. The house suddenly looks very bare. The reams of Christmas cards that adorned the walls have also gone, so bleak January is here. At 5.45, I get stuck in a huge queue at Somerfields, where everybody is cashing in their lottery winnings.