Tuesday 21st July 2015

Monday

And welcome to the working week. Again.

I would be lying to state what a joy it was to wake when the alarm was set for six, and jumping out of bed, we spring down the stairs saying “hello clouds, hello sky” as we made coffee and fed the cats.

For me there was the usual meeting at seven to discuss last week’s performance, which I could not complete, as, like, I wasn’t there. Anyway, I logged on to the computer at seven to find a message from my boss saying it had been cancelled.

Anyway, as I was there, lets look at the rest of the inbox: 79 mails, not too bad. And when I looked half them were automated messages confirming already completed tasks. Yay me.

Have a coffee.

Have another coffee.

Jools had left for work by now, and so it was me and the cats left alone, and as they were still getting used to life back at home so they would come by every half an hour to ask for yet more food. For the most part, I give in. But this is going to have to stop I tell them. And as next week I am travelling again, they really will be back to normal.

But until then: meow?

Then there is the temptation for me to graze at the food in the house through the day. I try not to, but, you know, its there, right? So, the day passes with me working, eating, feeding the cats and looking at the bright sunshine outside, wishing I could be out there. I do go out there when I have a coffee or lunch. The poppies are still a fine sight, and the air is thick with insects busy collecting pollen. How it should be.

With over half the company still on vacation in Denmark, I am able to tackle the inbox, and soon I can get work done, this really is too good to be true.

At four I think that counts as a day for the good guys and give myself the rest of the day off. We are having insalata caprese yet again, so I make some focaccia bread, heavily laced with garlic. It is a triumph even without the rosemary on top. Oh well.

That night we set the recorder to tape the 750th edition of Sky at Night, as it was to feature the latest pictures from New Horizons as it zipped by Pluto the previous week.

We sit back outside as the day fades, it is dark by half nine, the year is slipping by, and in 5 months it will be midwinter, and the ground will be hard as iron.

Tuesday

And more of the same, in short.

Up with the alarm. Make coffee, feed the cats, get dressed and get ready for the great switch on of the work laptop.

Outside the sun shone on, although the wind was getting up. I have another coffee, gird my loins and switch the computer on.

And just as it was all going so well, here comes a grenade which explodes in my hand. And everyone I need to speak to is on their holibobs: how is that going to help? Grrrr.

Inbetween ever-increasingly desperate mails to people who were lounging on a beach somewhere that is not Denmark, I manage to get a load of washing done, and even hang it out.

The day passes, I have more coffee, maybe too much, but hey, I can handle it.

No need to cook dinner, as we are going out to meet an old colleague of Jools’. Laurence has also left the box factory, and has been to Japan for his holibobs in the past, and we are planning this for next year. So, we wanted to pick his brains on how to arrange a fine trip.

At seven Jools and I drive down into Dover, park outside the Co-Op, and see that over half the multi-story car park beside Burlington House has already gone. I regret not taking my camera. We go and have a closer look and can see they are making quick work of it. Burlington House might be more tricky though.

We are to meet Laurence in Il Rustico, an Italian place on Market Square: it is OK, not sensational, and we have a simple meal of pasta and a beer. We catch up, he is happy with his new job and new house, which is good news. We also get details of the company to arrange the trip, which is even better news: all we have to do is save the money up now.

Back home to watch the program on Pluto: Jools snoozes, outside the day fades and the stars and crescent moon come out. The end of another working day.

More tomorrow.