Wednesday 9th August 2017

We have come to the deadline. No more morning and afternoons sat in front of a laptop keyboard, thinking of things to write, questions that needed to be answered. And come what may, I needed to have some kind of presentable draft ready for review by the end of the day. It was possible I would be burning the midnight oil.

Jools laid in bed until half five, getting up to get ready, and when I can smell coffee brewing, I go down too. Cats were already outside sitting on the patio, having a post-breakfast wash and licking their lips. At least some were happy.

And then it was eyes down with a fresh brew and some oatcakes coated with marmalade, and time for work. Thing is, I had added comments through the document, made notes and crossed other stuff out, and as I worked through the document, it all seemed to fall into place. Anyway, that process took six hours, and as well as that, there was meetings. Always with the meetings.

I had the storm radar on, s there was promise of thunder and lightning by the late afternoon, and there is some fun in watching the strikes get closer as the storm front heads north, and matching the marks on the sensor with what we can see out the back of the house. Only the much promised storm failed to arrive, the fronts drifted south east, and petered out over Flanders.

I work on, and by half three I was done. I mean there was a document I was happy with, a few questions remain, but otherwise, it is done, and with an hour and a half to spare too. I celebrate with a glass of the Sloe Port, still too ginny, but enjoyable. I sit down to watch an episode of Time Team, but the port helps my eyelids droop.

Outside it has been a fine and sunny day, I had hungs washing out. It dried, meanwhile an hour up the high speed line it poured in London all day. What can I say, on the coast it were lovely.

For dinner there is one of the butcher's chicken kievs each, some leftover pasta salad and a fresh steamed corn. Simple food, but wonderful. There is cider too, and wine. And life is good.

There are no storms that evening, the clouds melt away and we are left with the just past full moon shining from behind the thinning clouds.

But I was on vacation, on another holibob.