Oh, here’s another one at the window. At least this time it didn’t thump into the glass or go flitting around the house. I’d rather watch it hopping on the balcony, not open all the windows and run around with a broomstick while the tea gets cold.

Now it’ll just be bird droppings on the windowsill to clean up, though really, I can’t be bothered. Give it a few years, or maybe a fall, and it’ll be someone else having to clean up after me.

And little Eli was just saying when they came for my 97th that you shouldn’t feed the birds bread any more. I’ll just crumble up this gingernut biscuit and drop it on the sill. It’s too hard even after I soak it in my tea. If my future is deteriorating into digestives, and eventually rice pudding, that sparrow may as well enjoy it.

Tehnuka (@tehnuka) is a volcanologist and writer who enjoys finding herself in unexpected places.