Tuesday 8th August 2017

There have been times when I could tell you to the minute what I was doing, flying or driving across Europe, auditing, inspecting or managing. But another week working from home, well, each day is pretty much the same as any other. Except on Thursdays when I put out the bins.

Bearing that in mind, when I come to write that day's blog, I am sometimes at a loss to say what I did all day. I mean I got up, had breakfast and started work sometime near eight. But then? Well, there was lunch, made coffee and tea at regular intervals. Waited on the cats through the day. Made pasta salad and later in the day prepared the aubergine. But other than that?

It was another day that promised thunder and heavy rain, but as the day went on, the threat went away. I am trying not to think that I am on vacation in two days time, or when I come back from holiday the project will be going crazy. These have been real salad days and I have enjoyed them, getting stuff done, but not under pressure, and listening to the radio, writing, or watching Time Team if it was an edition I hadn't seen. But these are now drawing to an end, there is the threat of meetings with the customer, monthly reports.

And then sometimes all it takes is a stray critical comment and all the good intentions go out the window as your inner voice says "why bother?". Why indeed. I had been working in silence, but put the radio on at one, and do manage to work the afternoon through, but the document seems a mess and I have to produce a decent version by the end of Wednesday. So, anyway...

Outside, the sky clouds over and looks like a storm might break out at any point. I have one more day to work, I feel I am on target, but won't know until tomorrow. Until then I pour a beer and think about preparing dinner.

Jools is working longer hours, so gives me three rings on the phone to let me know she is on her way, so I can begin to egg and breadcrumb.

By half five I am working hard, the phone rings. Once. Twice. Three times. Was that a forth. I rush over the phone but it has stopped. I take it as a sign. A sign Jools is coming home, so I light the gas and get cooking.

When Jools walks in the door, dinner is cooked and I have poured the wine/cider. We should go out for a walk really, but we are too hungry and drained. There is something about the cooling freshness of the pasta and the crunchy salty goodness of the aubergine that works so well. Dinner is served, and is good. As always.

Meanwhile outside rain begins to fall. Hard. Cats run in to escape being wet.

And suddenly, the rain eases up, sun comes out, and there is a rainbow in the dip outside.I rush to get a camera to record the optical effect, and do so for many angles and focal lengths. There is football on the radio, the Caribou cup or something, Norwich play Swindon, and win 3-2, closer than it should have been if I'm honest. But a win's a win, right?