MAYBE it's the perpetual rain, the biting cold, or the grey skies, but I can't help feeling grumpy this week.

And worse still, I worry that everyone's going to be in a bad mood for a whole year now because we've not had our usual annual dosage of vitamin D, or whatever it is we get from sunshine.

I once read that in times of low mood like this, it's helpful to make a list of things you're thankful for. They don't have to be big things, anything will do. So here goes.

l That my car started first time this morning.

l That we've got nice neighbours at the new house.

l That I'm seeing my best friends next week.

l That I found a half-eaten bag of prawn cocktail crisps in my drawer when I was starving this morning.

l That there may be light at the end of the tunnel in the battle with the furniture giant (that will remain nameless) with a new option of re-allocating our too-big sofa and ordering a smaller one.

There we go - that's a bit better.

Besides, it can make you feel a bit churlish to be grumpy while people elsewhere are genuinely suffering.

Take the people affected by the floods in Gloucestershire.

Whole communities have been isolated by flood water and families have been left without food, power and drinking water.

The damage will run into billions of pounds, but those affected seem to be coping amazingly well, taking on a "If you don't laugh, you'd cry" stance, which I very much admire.

Let's hope the situation improves very soon.