Thursday 25th August 2011

And hello.

Upon my return from work on Tuesday, Jools was waiting, the deed had been done. In truth we know it was for the best, and that she is now at peace and pain free. Even still, I half-expected to see Little Girl come in, meowing for whatever she might have needed. We never did really guess most of the time, maybe it was for attention, or sweetmeats in aspic. But, she is gone, and now, because of her urination violations, we can leave the bathroom door open and we are conducting trials in letting the cats have full nocturnal roaming rights in the house. All that has happened in the last two nights has been Mulder demanding attention in the wee small hours; we think he’ll settle down in time.

So, yesterday, I had to head up to London village for a course in Greenwich. And it was a very dark half past four when the alarm went off, and after breakfast Jools dropped me off at the station and by six I was speeding through the Kentish countryside in a shiny new train heading to London. I got off at Stratford, and after walking through the station admiring the Olympic village and all the wonderful buildings, got on a DLR train towards Canary Wharf and the Thames and then onto Greenwich beyond.

Although even now writing this, it sounds wonderful, commuting into London in the rush hour is no fun really, and standing on the crowded train, all I saw was potential photographic opportunities. And everywhere were people heading to work, or already there, working away.

So, by the time I get off the train in Greenwich, it is raining; I look for a café, swanky or even a greasy spoon, but nothing doing. So, I head to the hotel where the course is being held, register for the course and take breakfast there instead. Despite all the naughty goodies of an English fry-up being available, I have a huge bowl of fruit salad and yoghurt followed by a crispy brown roll and lots of coffee.

The hotel is in one of the wings in the old Naval College, and is wonderful and historic; outside the lecture room was Hardy’s tomb; it was kismet. The course, however, was anything but interesting. Appreciation of ISO 9001. I’ll let you Google it and see for yourself. I did stay awake, although my concentration went at about three in the afternoon and did my best to look interested and awake until five and time to go home.

Back through crowds of tourists whose only job seemed to be to slow me down and generally be in the way. I really wanted to stay and snap away, as the weather was by now glorious. But my desire to head home, see Jools and the other cats, have dinner, a shower and head to bed was stronger.

Back on the DLR and crowds packed in like sardines; change at Canary Wharf, onto another crowded carriage and back to Stratford. On the world’s shortest bus trip to the International Station and then wait until the next train to Dover. The boredom was shattered by passing Eurostars thrashing through the station at 170mph; now that is impressive.

I get a seat on the train back home, and settle down to watch the countryside slide by in the glow of a late-summer’s evening. Jools was waiting for me in Dover, and we head home and have a luxurious meal of baked beans on toast and two, yes two, cups of tea. And then settle down on the sofa with Scully to watch the Arse play in Europe. I stayed awake, and then as soon as the final whistle went, I headed back up the stairs to bed.

Zzzzzzzzzz.

And today is the anniversary of my birth, and after work we are heading down to the Coastguard pub for a meal and some whisky. Can’t wait.