June 8th – A lovely evening after a grey, dull day so I fell out of work and hit the canals into Birmingham, then over Sandwell Valley Park to Smethwick, then back through the City Centre, a curry in Aston and home.

The summer really is excellent this year, I must say, and in the unexpectedly golden evening, the canals, city and park glowed beautifully and were beautiful and vibrant. 

I don’t think I’d rather live anywhere else as long as all this is just a short ride away.