Thursday 1st September 2016

I wake up with Scully laying beside me, purring away. Dawn is showing through the gap in the curtains, which means for her breakfast is near.

I look out expecting to see clouds, but instead see more blue sky. Lots of it in fact, and so this dry spell looks to continue into the weekend. For a change I am up first, so make coffee, breakfast and feed the cats. Although both Mulder and Scully have gone missing. You start to worry then realise they are just out doing cat things.

After both of us not going to bed until half eleven the previous night, it means that we are both suffering from lack of sleep. And the two tumblers of Japanese whisky I supped whilst looking a the stars meant that I had slept laying on my shoulder, which now felt like it should just be cut off to stop the pain. I hope it will wear off. And then there are the sneezes: not sure what it is about this time of the year, but for certain my allergies to escalate around my birthday and last into the New Year at which point they drop off again. So most days I have been taking at least one over the counter pill to stop an attack, and for now this has worked.

Anyway, after breakfast, another coffee and putting the bins out; it is work time. Meetings and then more meetings. Inbetween meetings, I make bread. I am quick enough and time the rising, proving and baking so that by the time the third meeting begins at midday, I have the first batch ready, buttered and washed down with a big cup of tea. Perfect. Even if they can hear me eating during the meeting.

The sun is still shining outside, so I sit on the bench and munch on the last of the Magnums, and decide that upon reflection is pretty darn good.

I decided that morning that I should try to give up alcohol for the whole month, but then I had forgotten that we were to have chili for dinner that night, and orange squash just wouldn't cut it, and so it was either beer or wine. I decided it was a wine day, so I open the bottle to let it breathe, and for me to try a small glass, just for quality control purposes, of course.

I warm up the chili, boil the rice and for an added treat we have one quater of the dough which I made into a small loaf, cut and buttered. Lovely.

And it was.

I know these weeks at home are dull and repeatative, but I treasure them so much, just enjoy being here and not traveling. All that changes next week of course when I have been summoned to Head Office