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Life

Yesterday Didn’t Happen

Yesterday didn’t happen. A few drinks with good friends the night before somehow turned into a take-away meal, many more drinks, and the sharing of stories until the early hours.

When I woke up yesterday it felt like I had been hit by a truck. I really can’t drink like that any more (or rather, I can’t get away with it). I still don’t feel entirely right today, but at least I’m functional.

I need another coffee…

(5 minutes pass while I wander into the kitchen, empty mug in hand)

I have the day off work today. A day to “catch up”. The washing machine is on it’s second load, the dishwasher has been emptied, the plants watered, the lounge has been tidied (somewhat), numerous boxes that were stacked on the upstairs landing have returned to the attic, and I imagine the vacuum cleaner will come out soon.

It never ends.

There are so many things I would like to be doing, but they tend to get pushed sideways by the things that will keep others off my back. I’m waiting for the garden waste to get collected – after that I can cut the grass in the back garden, and tick it off the list – then I can’t be accused of not doing it.

I bought ingredients to make spaghetti bolognese yesterday afternoon, and then got shouted at for buying the wrong things, for the wrong day. I can’t win at the moment.

At some point during the next hour my youngest daughter will arrive home from a sleepover (it’s half term), and ask about me going out on a bike ride with her. I have no idea where we’re going to go. I would much rather go for a run to be honest – I wonder if she’ll be up for that instead?

Over the coming weeks and months I’ve kind of promised to do Couch to 5K with a friend. I need to do something. I’m not sure if it’s about escaping these four walls, or doing something for me. While running is hard while you’re doing it, the endorphin rush afterwards is amazing. It makes you feel so much better about yourself – and I kind of need that at the moment.

Thankfully I have a few close friends that come out to bat for me from time to time. I hope I can do the same for them, when needed. That’s half the trouble though isn’t it – the whole Nanny McFee thing – realising when somebody wants you but doesn’t need you, or needs you but doesn’t want you.

I never realise that I need close friends until after they have arrived with hugs and smiles. It’s only afterwards the penny drops and I realise how lucky I am to have them.

Categories
Life

The Weekend Arrives

You find me sitting in the study at home with a cup of coffee between my arms while I write this post. The only sound in the room is the clickety-clack of the keyboard.

After a week spent at home recovering from COVID, we walked into town late last night to meet my middle daughter – the one that works at the pub. We had only planned on walking there an back – providing an escort of sorts to shepherd her past the numerous bars and restaurants that empty onto the streets late at night. Upon our arrival the bar staff greeted us with smiles and waves, and offered us a dink “on the house”. I can’t imagine how annoyed the man next to us at the bar must have been.

It probably says something about me that the moment I am offered something for free, I immediately worry how fair that is for others. I don’t like being given preferential treatment.

I had one drink – and this morning I know about it. I guess this is another observation to chalk-up against COVID – that the headache I might have had following several drinks now appears after one drink – or at least until my body gets a chance to recover properly.

I’m trying to stop myself from doing things today. A quiet day. Hopefully.

I can’t let today pass without mentioning an influx of new readers. Quite by chance this week I crossed paths with somebody teaching English as a foreign language, and they recommended my writing to their students. If any of you are reading this – I hope you are both understanding, and enjoying it. I can’t always guarantee I’ll have exciting or interesting content to write about, but knowing there’s an audience out there interested in a different way of life will remind me to record my “normal” – because it almost certainly isn’t theirs.

If there is anything you would like me to write about – perhaps about life in England – just send me a message. My contact details are on the “about” page.

Anyway.

It’s time for me to go make a hot drink, sit down, and try to allow my body to recover a little. Wish me luck!

Categories
Life

Late O’Clock

I cooked dinner for the rest of the family this evening. Spaghetti Bolognese – one of the “make something quick that everybody will eat” meals that most families have up their sleeve at the end of a long week.

After dinner I joined some friends online for an hour, before heading into town to meet my middle daughter from work once again. Before leaving the house I looked in on my other half, and asked if she wanted to come – to perhaps get a drink while there. And that’s how we didn’t get home until after closing time.

While sipping our drink, and talking about the week, we laughed at the teenagers in the bar – most of which we had known at the various schools our girls attended over the years. We figured we had known more than a few of them since they were in infant school. One of them couldn’t take a shot at the pool-table without shouting the F word. I wondered how proud his parents might be.

Walking to and from the pub was bitterly cold. Earlier today it tried to snow. Only a few flakes, but still exciting given that we haven’t seen any serious amount of snowfall for years.

Tomorrow we’re headed to our youngest’s school for some sort of garden tour thing. Then on Sunday it’s rugby once again. I’m not going to stress too much about not getting a chance to rest – I have a week off coming up at the end of next week. The week before Easter.

That reminds me – I need to get some Easter eggs.