I spent most of the night with a beautiful woman lying beside me – she was asleep – and with Yorkshire Police Sgt. Catherine Cawood, the star of Happy Valley, a dark, beautiful and riveting police drama on Netflix. Maria  bailed out after a few minutes, she said it was unbearably dark. My editor Rosemary Ahern recommended it, and Rosemary is mild-mannered and literary. I am surprised she loves it.

I quickly became addicted to it, I watched five episodes in a row, it was 5 a.m. when I looked at the clock and realized I had been  up all night, obsessed with Cawood (Sarah Lancashire’s) riveting portrayal of a police officer, mother and grandmother fighting to catch the rapist and psychopath who murdered her daughter.

Normally, this would be too dark for me, but I couldn’t stop watching. I finally turned it off as the first light was showing on the horizon, and got a few hours sleep. I never binge on TV, we don’t even own a TV, I was up in the dark with my Iphone watching this show, I just couldn’t stop. Then, of course, I couldn’t sleep.

Somehow, it was worth it. I am in love with this show, and it is dark, for sure. But very powerful portrayal of a strong woman determined to do good in the face of overwhelming and sometimes horrifying odds. Maria was astonished to wake up just as I was going asleep. Nap time.

Meanwhile, our wildflower garden is blooming, led by the beautiful Cosmos flowers. Our house is ringed with color.