Monday 5th October 2020

Weclome to the working week. Again.

The weekend was good, we did loads, and experienced more than just lolling aroud the house, so our travels to west Kent really hit the spot.

There was football too. Crazy, crazy football, and the nights are drawing in, as my Granddad would say.

But back to Monday, Jools up at five to fill the morning and wear herslef out before trying to get some shuteye in the afternoon to enable her to complete the night shift milling busbars.

Here we go.

She goes for a walk, so I stay and make breakfast. I should have done some phys, but, you know. Meh.

I have the morning meeting to attend at half seven, much to discuss. So with a fresh coffee and with Jools reading on the sofa, I join in. And right after there is another auditors meeting where we talk about audits. And you know, dull stuff.

Jen calls up from time to time, and since her Mum came out of hospital, the news has been generally good and upbeat. For weeks I have thought that when she called it would be with the news that her Mum had gone. But not this time.

She sounded so upbeat, but the news bas bad: her Mum had passed away during the night, they were waiting for the undertakers to come round.

We went to see how she was, and the upbeat lady on the phone was replaced with a sobbing woman. Poor Jen. I took her in my arms and told her we were here for her.

We called a few people to let them know, then the ambulance came. They call it a private ambulance, but it is to transport the dead. Jen lets them in, then they go into Betty's room, close the door and we let them get on with their job. Ten minutes later they were done, leaving behind a huge empty bed.

We stay for a brew, as tea makes everything better. For the first time in two decades, Jen has no one to look after, she can do and go as she pleases.

It will take some getting used to.

We leave her and Sylv, as the day was getting on, and Jools needed rest.

So, before we knew it, it was lunchtime, so I make two ham rolls and a huge fresh brew, Jools then goes to bed, running to escape her crowd of cats that worship her as some kind of Queen Cat, I am someone to run away from, however.

And then there was silence.

I get to work, but my heart wasn't in it, I was easily distracted. I more than usual.

I go for a walk, not far as most roads off our street and Collingwood are mudbaths right now.

I walk out along the lane at the end of our street, then over the fields to Fleet House.

Vegetation at this time has a dirty brown tinge as the growing season comes to an end.

At the butterfly glade I spot a pristine Red Admiral, basking well, high up. I take the best shot I could, and happy with that to walk on to the pig's copse, but as before, Norway Drove and Cliff Road are both mudbaths, so I walk back along Collingwood.

There was nothing of much interest, but with the sunshine and warm breeze, it was good just to be out.

Back home for a brew, then Jools gets up and gets ready for work. I make dinner, fish cakes, curried rice and sweet chili stir fry, a real taste explosion.

It is good.

Then, Jools is gone, leaving me with four semi-hungry cats. At least the kittens are better now. They don't always run away when I try to stroke them, and Poppy even purrs now when I rub her back.

Darkness comes quickly, the radio is on, and cats fall alseep around me, one keeping an eye open in case I go to the kitty kibble tin.