Thursday 31st August 2017

Last day of the month, and I am laying in bed staring at the ceiling watching dawn creep round the curtain just before half five. I had been waiting for it for a good 90 minutes already. Dawn, I hate jetlag, all I want is a good night's sleep.

So at half five, I get up, feed the cats, make breakfast and begin making coffee, so when Jools comes down 15 minutes later, it's all about done.

Being Thursday, it is bin day, so once Jools has left for work I out of the festering bins fill of rubbish from two weeks ago. All will be gone by mid-morning. Once hopes.

I feel I have a head full of wool thanks to the lack of sleep, but am bright enough to take part in the first meeting of the day at eight. I have to relay the progress on the project, and with it being my second day back, there's not a lot to say, other than the project has secured funding and it's all systems go.

Yay.

Second day back, and I settle into the old routine, working, drinking coffee or tea, listening to the radio and pandering to the cats. Meow you say? food, attention, something else?

There is the treat of corned beef sandwiches for lunch, I think that crisps would be good with that, and as I have to walk to the post office to pick up a passport application form, then I could go to the shop too. So, after the morning rush at work was over, I put on my trainers for an amble down Station Road into the village, with the climb the other side of the dip. And as I hoped, our altitude training in Wyoming would mean I would huff and puff less on these much lower slopes. And indeed, the walk did seem easier, and no stops were needed to stop and admire views as was usually normal.

I get the form, and then go to the village shop to buy crisps. And an ice cream. So can amble down the hill munching on the magnum.

Back to normal.

And back home, back to work, and at twelve, I make lunch; salad cream instead of butter, two slices of corned beef, and lots of salt and vinegar crisps. And a full pint pot of tea.

Come three in the afternoon, I could feel a headache brewing, with all tasks achieved for the day, I stop work, stop looking at the home computer too, and have a lay down, and as soon as I do lay down, Mulder is on my chest enquiring about dinner. I mean, three is the new 5, year boy?

Dinner is a simple one: chicken kiev, cous cous and steamed corn. light and flavoursome, and easy to do. We are all eaten, washed up and sitting down staring at the clock wondering if it was bed time yet, at half six. We do soldier on to nine, watching yet another Gardener's World, and seeing most of it through half-closed eyes. At the end, transfer deadline or not, we were going to bed.