Preamble.

Autumn announced its presence in true seasonal fashion today. The pale yellow leaves which have been creeping up on us for a few weeks suddenly broke forth in greater numbers as they hung in the cold air suffused with a heavy mist. It was one of those days when ancient cobwebs become suddenly visible for having donned their jewellery of silver dewdrops, and I felt the iced fingers of winter preparing to take hold of the land on the northern horizon.

On a happier note I did receive unsolicited smiles from two ladies and two dogs today. No, that’s a lie. The dogs responded to smiles from me, but it was good to be recognised and made welcome by a whippet and a black Labrador.

And then I saw a young woman with a Mohican hair cut, and asked her whether such a style is making a comeback. ‘No,’ she replied, ‘just me.’ I congratulated her on being different, and she said ‘thank you.’