A sunnier start to the day but I almost started our tourism with a ticket courtesy of two young police officers stopping me for going faster than 30mph where I shouldn’t have done. Sadly for the cause of law enforcement they couldn’t make their equipment work so I got off with a lecture. We reached Flatford Constable and a helpful National Trust volunteer gave us a sticker as the machine at the car park didn’t like our membership cards.

The site was busy but not crowded with Constable fans like us, with walkers, and with those intent on messing about on the River Stour. As we walked down I saw a couple of overly corpulent women pumping up inflatable canoes, too suggestive. We strolled past the gift shop and tea rooms and Flatford Mill and Willy Lott’s Cottage to do a simple walk round a field, happily well shaded and tranquilly unbusy. Such a change from the noisome bedlam at Colchester Zoo yesterday.

We had sandwiches at the Tea Rooms, finding space to sit without any problems, then saw a small exhibition on Constable and his pictures. Happily a man with six yapping dogs left so we could study the nostalgic pictures in quietude. Circumnavigated the RSPB wildlife garden where we could truthfully answer the challenge of were we members with a confident YES.

We had our evening repast at The Creek and learnt that St Osyth is said more like St Ossif than my attempts. A cultured place which had soft violin music playing to calm you. The best part of the meal were the prawns with cheese and chive sauce that we didn’t pay for! Virginia had ordered lamb but the chef started doing beef and so our food was late! To compensate they gave us the very nice prawns.