We had a months rain during the first fortnight of January. And we were lucky. Other places had more than that and were flooded for the third time in less than nine months. But the improvement began just before the weekend.
The sun came out and the breeze helped dry out the land. News came that this month looks like being almost as mild as January 2007. You could see the results across fields of winter wheat and oil seed rape. They were growing already, just like they do in March most years.
On Friday, my wife and I set off south for a weekend away with friends. The weather stayed perfect and it was really enjoyable. It perked us up no end. When we got home the garden seemed to have bloomed in three days. The snowdrops and crocuses had come out and daffodils were budding. If this is global warming I rather like it - for the moment anyway and until I am reminded of the disadvantages of a very early spring.
In the house on the doormat was Saturday's post. One envelope was marked Rural Payments Agency. When I opened it I discovered that our SFP was about to be or may even have been paid into the bank. My cup runneth over.