Brighton Palace pier today with my mother and Mason, who'd come down to look at my new house. After we went for a bite to eat and a walk.

A little before sundown the sky was smoking with flocks of what looked like several thousand starlings. These eventually began roosting under the pier. As we walked along the pier towards the funfair at the end, there was noisy singing underfoot.

Exquisite sunset, with the thin slither of the moon and the sky putting on a dazzling performance. Shortly before it got dark the sea turned an extraordinary lavender colour.

After this excitement we slid off to a pub called The Black Lion on BLack Lion Lane and drank warm mulled wine.