Thursday 9th January 2014

Apparently, the first Monday of the new year is called Blue Monday, as it is the most miserable day of the year. What with resolutions in full swing, back to work, and the fact the worst of the winter is yet to come. Probably. As I was heading to Denmark on Tuesday, and I knew because of the wind howling outside, that the monkeys would be onshore and creating hell, doubly so it being their first day back. So, I decided to work from home instead. I lay in bed whilst Jools got ready, she brought me a coffee, and at seven I got up, put on my dressing gown and went downstairs, turned on the computer and logged on to work.

Now that is a good commute.

At then the new shed roof was delivered, but the company had failed to cut it to the right size, so any thought of installing it that day was out. As it needs to be trimmed. Oh well.

A few weeks ago, back in November I guess, I received another letter from the bank asking if I wanted to claim about mis-sold PPI insurance. I thought, why not? What’s the worse they could say? No? So, I filled in the form, and last month a guy from the bank called and discussed the issue, and after an hour said he would let me know. And yesterday I received another letter saying they are going to repay me some £1200 and with compound interest, have £1500! Result. So, we have paid the credit cards off and so can start the year on an even keel!

In the evening, I did another session on the cross-trainer, and then cooked something healthy; grilled chicken and lentils, washed down with fruit juice! I really am taking this gout thing seriously!

The alarm went of on Tuesday morning at five; outside the wind was howling and the rain hammering down. The last thing I felt like doing was head to Denmark, but I had no choice really. We got up, made breakfast, I checked my cases to make sure the essentials were there. And then it was time to leave, say goodbye to the kitties who were being all cute. Anyway, its just for a couple of days this time, guys.

The train fare has gone up £4 to £83, which still does not sound that bad, as it takes me right to the airport. Anyway, I wait on the platform as the regular travellers turn up, nod greetings or buy coffee. I get a seat on the left side of the train, without a window post to spoil the view; my chosen spot every time. The left sides has views over Shakespeare Beach, Samphire Hoe, the Folkestone Harbour Branch, the M20 north of Ashford, you can look over the Dartford Crossing and stunning vistas over Rainham marshes With Canary Wharf and the Shard in the background. Sadly, this time of year, most of it is shrouded in darkness, yet dawn was not far away as we rattled over Rainham Marshes, and I could see the anti-collision lights atop Canada Tower winking in the warm glow of sunrise.

A quick walk to the DLR once we were at Stratford, along to the airport. And I manage to fall down the escalator, breaking the telescopic arms of one of my cases. Oh bugger. I bodge it, and one of the arms fails to collapse into the case; it’ll have to do.

At least on a Monday, the airport is fairly quiet; no queues at all, and I’m sitting down for breakfast within ten minutes of arriving at the airport having checked in, gone through security and checked the flight board for delays.

No suitcases for sale at the airport, so I have to make do with using the arms as extended handles, and hope it’ll fit in the hold. It does.

Once aboard the plane, it all comes back to me, the commute to Denmark, refusing the in-flight meal, trying to sleep. But once in the air we are being thrown around like riding on a very angry kangaroo. The wind is strong as we climb through the clouds so I grab hold of the seat in front until my fingers go white. I really don’t want to die……

But it settles down once we clear the clouds, and we leave old windy blighty way below. I look back as we head over the North Sea, the clouds had cleared enough to see us flying over Orford Ness, but up along the coast Lowestoft is shrouded in clouds way below….

Once we land, I stay in my seat. I mean, theres less than 20 of us on the flight, how crowded is immigration going to be? Not very it turns put. Anyway, I head to the cire hire place, pick up the keys to a Citroen C4, and I walk off into the car park to find it. Once I do, I find its an auto, with comedic results until I learn to keep my left foot off the break. All is good for a blast to Esbjerg to see if I can make the half one meeting.

I do make it with 5 minutes to spare, only to find it has been cancelled. I write some mails, catch up with the guys there, hand over my smuggled Curly Wurlys, and decided what with the rain hammering down, I would head back to Arhus whilst there was still some light available. So I bid my farewells and set off into the dusk for the hour drive.

I find the hotel, check in, and wait for my friend, Shaggy, to call as he is supposed to be meeting me tonight. But he does not call or mail. So I head down to dinner at half six, and treat myself to a Christmas ale and a burger. I have not eaten much all day so I say blast the gout! And the burger is good.

And so to the loneliness of the hotel room. I listen to the latest Radcliffe and Maconie show, follow the football via Twitter and the BBC. The evening passes….