Weekend enjoyable and my husband still impresses me after nine years of marriage. On Saturday we went down to Somerset to see his parents - his mum's birthday. We had a lovely lunch in a remote pub on the Levels, 15th Century, with a beautiful log fire, twinkling fairy lights, lots of real ale and delicious food. Strolled round the lovely village church afterwards, full of interesting history.

Sunday up early to face a day of cold, howling wind and driving rain. Reluctantly drove down to Margam Park for the RNLI Reindeer Run - Andrew more and more dispirited with every mile we travelled. Each competitor was offered a free pair of reindeer - mysteriously, he declined (sweet old fogey that he is). By the start, I was battling with the umbrella, and the rain was driving horizontally from the sea up past the steel works. Anyway, he lined up and he ran. I stayed in my spot, having squelched through deer poo and mud, progressively fighting the brolly and leaning into the howling drizzle, when every so often a pack of muddy reindeer wearing apparitions would appear in the gloom, thunder past and then disappear in a cloud of Deep Heat, including Andrew, who was smiling broadly as he ran. Eventually the handful of spectators stumbled back to the cars and he appeared with his goody bag, having run a spectacular time of 55 minutes, which was excellent given the slippery going, gale force winds, cold and steep hills (not to mention the deer poo). He was delighted and elated and muddy and I was delighted and elated and soggy. So we sat in the car and steamed our way home where he leapt in the shower and then spent the afternoon deservedly reclining on the sofa. What a star. I attach a photo.