Read in the bath until I realised I was lifting my shoulders out of the water to keep the book dry, which rather defeats having a bath. Lowered them and got a proper shiver because the water had gone cold while I was busy learning something completely unrelated to washing. My knees were sticking out too. There used to be more room in there, or less of me. Wrapped up in the old towel and made tea, fingers a bit clumsy with the lid of the tin. Lovely once I warmed up, though I carried the book to the kitchen and nearly let the tea go the same way as the bath.

Trying to learn a short introduction for class without treating each word like a part I can swap around at will. I know what I want to say in English, then I get halfway through and find I've brought the English order along with me. Read it aloud in the workshop after closing and could hear where I was rushing, but not quite how to stop. Funny, I can copy an engine noise better than I can copy a sentence I've heard ten times. I've recorded the version I'm practising so I can compare it with the class notes. First recording was mostly the compressor. Very fluent, that thing.

The apprentice who opened her own place sent me a photo of her new sign and I was so bloody pleased I showed it to a customer who only wanted to know if his car was ready. Told him about her first week with me, nearly told him the entire apprenticeship. She wrote underneath that I was not allowed to point out the crooked screw. Hadn't noticed it, which may be a first. Now I have, of course. Rang to congratulate her and got the answering machine, so I've left a message with a fairly unnecessary explanation of sign fixings in the middle. She'll know what I meant.