Monday 25th September 2017

3 months to Christmas. O dear.

I am writing this three days after the event, and so my memory is very blurry. I mean I can say with some confidence that I got up, got dressed, had breakfast, did some work, had lunch, did more work then began to think about cooking dinner. But the actual details are somewhat thin.

I had a contractual document to review, which took up all my working time, other than when I wasn't replying to e mails and in meetings.

The cats have learned that by sitting either between me and the work laptop or on the laptop, I will feed them, pet them or whatever in order to be able to get back to work, so the day is punctuated by those incidents. And the two times Molly brought in a mouse of vole for me to have as a snack. Then wait for her kibble-based rewards. Which I provide, obvs.

And all the while I think about how much I have enjoyed working from home these past few months, working at my own pace, sitting in the garden to drink tea in the afternoon, petting the cats, listening to the radio and so on, but this week I have to go to Hamburg in the first move in the grand dance of the next project. Which means packing, hotels, restaurant food and beer. German beer this time.

And yet I like being at home, no matter how much fun it seems I am having when away, nothing beats being here at home with Jools and the cats. Simples.

I heard from Mum, she is being transferred from Norwich back to paget, so now has a ten day wait for the operation. I am at a loss of what to say really, she is rightly worried about the operation, clealry the doctor must have explained it to her. But then it must be necessary, and would not do it if they thought she would recover.

I cooked boiled chicken with bacon and rice for dinner; always much better than it sounds. It is just ready when Jools comes home, so we can sit down and listen to the radio whilst we eat. Turns out there was a slice of ice cream roulade, some kind of posh arctic roll, for dessert. Not bad, not bad.

I wanted the evening to last forever, so reluctant was I to travel, but I knew there was no avoiding it, so while Arsenal played, I pack an overnight back with a change of cloths, my basic work kit; computer, leads and phone lead, and I am done.

Arsenal win, and it is time for bed. Tomorrow, trains, planes and more trains.