Maria and I got up before 4 a.m. to watch the sunrise – it was her idea, she is a pagan, but I was all for it, I love working early – and we took our two old ratty lawn chairs and sat out behind the pole barn looking to the apple tree, where the sun always comes up. Lulu and Fanny came over to sniff our pockets, but were not into the sunrise.

Simon came over to join us, he stood right between us resting his head on my shoulder, and then on Maria’s, taking turns. It was wonderful sitting there with him, he was completely into the spirit of it, he is the most trusting and affectionate of creatures. One of the beautiful things about some animals is that even when they have every reason to be wary and suspicious of people – Simon and Red come very much to mind – they never stop trusting, seeking attention and affection. Simon needs our attention, needs to have his nose rubbed, needs to be talked to. It is part of his healing, part of ours.

The three of us sat together for an hour until the sun popped up over the hill, we sat the light on the tops of the trees. Simon never moved, it seemed he was watching the sun too. How wonderful to live in this world, to sit and see the sunrise with your lover and your donkey. How in the world did this ever happen to me?