At the risk of losing the attention of 99% of readers, it is now officially still light at 5pm. In January. For the horse owners amongst us, this is a Big Thing. A really good, Big Thing. The number of times we strange horsey types can be heard to mutter ‘it’ll be worth it in the summer’, whilst dragging our feet in mud-encumbered boots up a vertical hill in the pitch dark in the vain hope of encountering and catching the right horse, cannot be overestimated. 

It’s also generally quite cheering to be approaching the time of year when there is once again the possiblility of a glimmer of daylight at a point when you might with any luck find yourself outside the office. It’s a stretch, I know, but there will come a time when beers on the beach, on a work night, might actually be both possible and an attractive proposition. And I think we can all appreciate the lure of such delights.

Anyway, if nothing else, the excitement of approaching summer is an ideal excuse for an ice-cream milkshake. Cream and sprinkles? Why not. Heating cranked up, hot water bottle filled, ear muffs on. It could almost be July.