Tuesday 3rd January 2023

And so, after 14 days of sloth, it was time to return to work.

Jools was up and about before me, I woke, thought I saw daylight from behind the curtains, so was convinced I had overslept, but it was ten to six.

All was well.

And dark.

Outside, the wind still blew and the rain still fell.

Jools was good and went out for an early walk before leaving for the factory. I faffed around, made a second coffee and tried to remember my work password, always an issue after a long break.

I set up the compyer, plugged it in and switched it on. As usual it took 15 minutes to be in a position to read e mails that had been waiting for urgent attention these last two weeks.

Not so urgent, methinks.

Our department is now just our temporary manager, my two former Offsre colleagues and myself. Four of us.

I check my calendar, see that I have travel to arrange, but not until I clear mails relating to that trip. I fire off some grenades.

Make another coffee and have breakfast.

Outside, it gets light, so the feeders are filled. And its like Christmas has never happened.

My boss is away, being forced to take time off as she didn't use it all last year, same for my colleague Henrik, he is on his last week of four weeks off. Looking after hhis daughter and their menagerie.

There is leftovers to eat all this week, I have crumpets which we never got round to eating over the weekend. These are fancy Sainsbury's sourbough ones, and don't taste right, and don't get crispy either.

A disappointment.

Oh well.

Later, I would have gone out for a walk but, rain and wind. I did not go. Too easy not to, I need to commit harder.

It got dark at four, and was twilight the hour before then. It might be getting lighter each day now, but not very obvious, especially when cloudy. At least its not cold, the wind is set in the west and is bringing mild weather for the time being, and there will be little change for the forseeable future, apparently.

Dinner saw the return of the steak and ale pie, roast potatoes, steamed veg and gravy.

Needless to say, it was magnificent, even if the pie was shop-bought.

After clearing up, there was football on the tellybox: Arsenal v Newcastle, which ended in a tetchy 0-0 draw, but was enjoyable enough.