Back at the hotel, the TV in my room showed a Champion's League game, can't remember who it was, Paris maybe. As all my concentration was on the computer as Norwich played at Elland Road, just 240 minutes from promotion, if they win ALL their remaining games. And first up was dirty Leeds.
City managed to miss a first half penalty, but were a different team in the 2nd half, and took the lead, and in injury time, as just about everyone's nerves on Twitter were shredded, news came of a 2nd goal, and the three points were ours. I have to admit, my eyes moistened, and I am a few months shy of 50, why does the game, this team mean so much? It might not be quite like being there, but it felt good. Really good, sharing the emotions with everyone else online and those tweeting from the game.
I went to bed happy.
Wednesday.
And so to this, the final inspection at suppliers for the project. I have been doing this for a year now, and to come to the end is something of a shock, and the wonder is what will I do now to fill my days….
I have to leave the hotel, so I pack, have breakfast, check out and load the car, before driving the 500 yards to the factory, and wait for the others to arrive. At nine the show begins, and everyone is in a jovial mood, except really for Jesper who really had better things to do. But, he smiled and we go on with the task at hand.
Worked till lunch, and again after, with the final inspection ending at the end of shift at four. And that was it. Smiles and handshakes all round, hugs even. We all wave as we climb into our cars, and head in different directions. I drive to the airport in driving rain. It seems like deep mid-winter, other than the fact it is still light at six. I am glad to arrive, drop the car off and have my usual burger and beer for dinner in the arrivals lounge, before walking back to the hotel to write some reports, I know how to celebrate.
And that is it; a major part of the project done, I send out notification mails to everyone I can think of, just to let them know how well it has gone. The football on TV goes unwatched, but music plays out of the computer and I speak with Jools. Home tomorrow and for a long weekend I think.
Holland next week, but then a time at home, some paperwork and maybe tackle the carrier bag of travel receipts I have to scan and allocate.
That’ll wipe the smile off my face.
Thursday
My flight home seems to have a different take off time each time I use it; this time it is half eight, which means I don't need to be having breakfast until half seven. However, I am awake before the alarm goes off, it is dawn outside. I pack, have a shower and get dressed. Just time for a roll and a coffee before the short walk to the terminal. It is very quiet, so I get my boarding pass check in my case and I'm through security in no time at all. As I have three things to celebrate, I decide a bottle of champagne is called fo, so I pick one, and then a bottle of Danish whisky; as I was talking to Henrik about the stuff the day before, and it being half price, so why not.
I find a place to sit, check my mails, and watch people waiting for their flights, drinking beer and going outside for a smoke. All the worse things for your health....
At eight I go to the gate, it is already packed. As packed as it can be with 28 passengers, such is the number of passengers for a flight to LCY.
I carry my booze on the flight, take my usual seat in 8A, and wait for the usual pre-flight checks, the engines start and we are on our way. We rise into the sky, pass through clouds and Denmark is lost below us. We are given fruit juice, a cold breakfast, coffee. Europe passes below us. I don't recognise the route, we seem to be inland more than usual. We seem to spend an age crossing the Channel, or is the the North Sea. Finally the Essex coast passes below us, all the familiar landmarks.
We pass over Southend, cross the Thames over Kent and round south London before turning over Crystal Palace and again over Battersea. The Thames is below us, and London, or the north part stretches to the horizon. I snap away as we pass over Westminster and The Temple.
Down and down we go until we are skimming over the rooftops and down onto the runway. Welcome to Blighty.
I am in no hurry, I have an hour and a quarter to get to Stratford for my flight. I wait until everyone has got off, I check for my passport then make my way off, collect my briefcase and walk to the terminal.
I collect my case, walk to the DLR station, have less than two minutes to wait for a train. Somehow the children are still on holiday, how is that possible, Easter was like two weeks ago? Anyway, I make it to Stratford, order a coffee and a bu at the cafe. I have half an hour, so I savour the coffee.
THe train is less than half full, I get a seat, have my cases in the overhead storage, and we are on our way. And for me, back home. The sun is breaking through as we zoom through Essex, and the family in the seats in front of me are feeding their children consistently, they are travelling from St Albans to Ashford, I do believe there will be shops in Ashford. They get off, and silence descends on the carriage. Folestone West, Folkestone Central and onto Dover. Just a short taxi ride home.
If there was a taxi of course. I wait in line, for five minutes. Ten minutes. 15 minutes. One arrives, and takes the lady in front of me. Then three arrive at once, so the panic as who out of me or the French family who did not understand the British art of queueing would get the first car, we got one each. I chat to the driver about beer. Traffic is light, not even much on the way to the port. We get home in double quick time.
Here I am cats, back home from foreign lands! They ignore me. I am alone. SO I brew up, have a cuppa and some fruit.
I have some work to do, which I finish, and I can relax. Seems like I have been up for days. I sit in the garden with another cuppa, there are butterflies about, and oh look, Molly comes to see if I have any food. Yes, love you too miss.
The afternoon ends, clouds roll over and rain falls, just a gentle shower.
Jools comes home, I cook lamb burgers for dinner. The world is fine. We watch The Sky at Night, darkness falls, which seems only right. At nine we go to bed, it has been a long day.
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