I’m feeling blue – partly because of the weather but mostly because things outside my control are going wrong and there is nothing I can do to prevent them. I hate the feeling of powerlessness when you try and try to achieve things and no matter how hard you strive, they still fall apart.

In a fit of desperation, here are those daffs that were tightly furled only a few days ago, yet despite gloom and cold, they’re soldiering on. It's super gloomy in the house at the moment because we've got scaffolding around the house and it's surprising how much light is cut out by it. So my daffs are saying “up yours world – I don’t care that it’s dark, cold and miserable, I’m just going to put on a show anyway".

Maybe that’s what’s needed in my wider world.