Thursday 20th July 2017

I wake up in the business hotel, the Pentahotel. Odd name, with no apparent logical meaning. The hotel is a box, oblong not eight sided. And this used to be a Hilton, its better now, but that's not hard. Outside, it is raining steadily, meaning I would have to carry my work bag and bag of old IT equipment whilst carrying an umbrella. All the fun of the fair, I guess.

I have a shower and get dressed, go down for breakfast before collecting the IT stuff from the back of the car, and struggle over the main road into the business park, along a new path through a small copse of trees to the building where my Employer has its UK offices. I get in the building and go up to the first floor, and after ringing the bell am allowed in. In theory, this is where I should work when not traveling. It is the first time I have been here for some four years, at least. I see a few people working away, a couple of I know. Soon my old boss, Philip, arrives, so after a coffee, I find a desk to work from and start the day with four hours of meetings.

The IT bloke comes in, so I present my bag of goodies. He is unimpressed, dumps the stuff in the middle of the office floor, and contemplates what to do. I'm guess it will be skipped, but at least I have all this stuff out of the house and not liable to be billed for, which was threatened. Anyway, back to the copy and pasting.

For lunch, I am taken by Rob to the nearby ASDA, a huge as an aircraft hanger, I'm sure they sell elephants on one of the wider aisles at the back. I buy a sandwich and some vanilla diet coke, so am set for lunch. We drive back to the office whilst Rob swears, loudly and frequently about all the other drivers. It makes me smile.

Come four in the afternoon, people begin to leave in order to beat the traffic on the motorways in the area. At half four I think I should go too. I think maybe I could watch the end of Le Tour, but arrive back as the peleton crosses the line meaning I will have to watch the highlights again later. Meaning I would need an early dinner, so book a table for six, and eat well of fish and chips, served on a wooden board, meaning the peas have to be served in a small dish. I am sure there is some point to all this, but what?

Back in my room in time for the highlight, and watching them meant forgoing the chance to go out in the car to Warrington to take shots of the two parish churches and large theatre. But there will be other times, probably.

And I am able to upgrade the internet, and it is like someone has turned a waterfall of information on, and am able to upload pictures in seconds and listen to some radio. Outside the sun sets, and I have a view of the business park bathed in golden light.