A berry merry winter to our wildlife

THERE is a log fire in the grate in the kitchen and some strange form of paralysis seems to have immobilised me in the fireside chair.

A glance through the window reveals a cold, grey, uninviting world outside. My immediate reaction to it is a strong desire to make a hot whiskey punch with sugar, lemon and cloves. But there’s been enough eating and drinking over the past few days — no, that’s not strictly true, there’s been far too much. It’s time to go for a walk.

Remembering the German saying that there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing, I go in search of boots, a jacket, over-trousers and a beanie. Modern outdoor gear is so good that I find I can put all this stuff on and still move fairly easily. This removes my last excuse for staying by the fire.