By the time this is written it will be after midnight and I will be preparing for my second night back in my own bed. I think everyone, however comfortable other people's beds are (and all the beds I've slept in whilst I've been away have been supremely comfortable I'm pleased to report), is happy when they climb back into their own bed after being away.
I actually arrived back home at about 2220 last night (Tuesday). Despite the storms MV Isle of Lewis sailed all day Monday and managed to carry all the freight traffic as well. As a result and despite carrying all the freight traffic yesterday as well, I was able to squeeze the car onto the ferry 's evening sailing. After I'd emptied the car and, as a consequence, filled the living room and kitchen with assorted cases and boxes and bags, I went to bed at midnight and, with a glass of wine and some cheese and biscuits, managed to watch some of the midnight news on the BBC News Channel. Having switched off the television and put out the light I obviously put my head on the pillow. I have no recollection of so doing but I must have then put my head on the pillow for that was where I found it when I woke up at 0806 (don't you just hate digital clocks) this morning after a solid and undisturbed sleep.
Today has, of course, been spent doing all sorts of odds and ends from writing emails and letters, washing and ironing (whilst watching the news), fitting bedside lights (from Ikea in Glasgow), emptying cases (almost), visiting Pat and Dave for a catch-up and afternoon coffee, and so many other things which, given that I have the attention span of a gnat for sticking to the task in hand, were many and varied. So all in all it's been a Good Day. I like Good Days.
I've had a wonderful time away. France seems so long ago. The week at Anna's before France and the visits to art galleries and museums and theatres seems even longer ago (it is even longer ago!) .
I love my life and my friends who make my enjoyable life possible.
I'm a lucky bugger.
I wish everyone could be as lucky as I am.
Night night.
What a wonderful time away you've had! I'm glad you're back home safe and sound. I too hate digital clocks; my reason for the hate- if I look at the clock without my glasses, I can't read the time. On analog clocks I can at least see the hands and figure out the time. Whose idea was it to make mostly digital clocks? I'd like to put that person in time out...for a long time.
ReplyDeleteYep, you are a lucky bugger! Not all lucky buggers know how lucky they are!
ReplyDeleteGlad you made it back safe and sound.
ReplyDeleteBumpy was it?
Norma: Analogue clocks are still hugely popular here but less so for the bedside.
ReplyDeletePauline: I see too many unlucky buggers not to appreciate how lucky I am!
Adrian: Fortunately I'm a good sailor but it wasn't as bumpy as some crossings of the Minch I've done particularly in the days of MV Suilven. A corkscrewing tub she was even though she was reckoned to be one of the most seaworthy of boats according to her Masters. Anyway I had a curry in mid-Minch on Tuesday so it couldn't have been that bad. Mind you everyone else seemed to have lost their appetite by then.
You really must read Three Men in a Boat. "It is a curious fact, but nobody ever is sea-sick - on land. At sea, you come across plenty of people very bad indeed, whole boat-loads of them; but I never met a man yet, on land, who had ever known at all what is was to be sea-sick. Where the thousands upon thousands of bad sailors that swarm in every ship hide themselves when they are on land is a mystery."
ReplyDeletePS. I also agree with Pauline. And for the record, I have an analogue alarm clock by my bed!
ReplyDeleteWelcome home GB,
ReplyDeleteSP
Entering this blog today my eye was caught by your self-deprecating comment about not having 'the imagination to invent a new persona'...
ReplyDeleteDoes this imply you are still 'a boring old fart'? Because the vivid, interesting, well-travelled, sporty, kayaking, well-read and well-connected chap you are in these pages (and in life, 'cos I Know) certainly is not boring! Do you think possibly it needs a tiny re-write? :-)
Katherine's got a point. Time moves on and so do you! No real need to "invent"... You could just skip those last three sentences, you know. (And if you feel the need to add something else, why not for example the Edwards motto of always keeping the camera within reach?)
ReplyDeleteMonica: After our previous discussions I have downloaded Three Men in a Boat to my Kindle and it is in the 'Reading' folder so it's only competing with 4 others at the moment! Well on the Kindle anyway. Oddly enough I know very few people from the Island who claim to be immune from seasickness. I'm not immune I'm just fortunate enough to be a good sailor and only to have been sick once in 38 years crossing the Minch. However if I have to lie down on an overnight crossing in rough seas that's entirely a different matter. I might blog about that one sometime!
ReplyDeleteThank you SP. It's always good to be home however much one enjoys being away.
Well, Katherine, coming from one of the most interesting of people I have ever met I take that as a compliment. I value your comment too, Monica, 'cos you certainly are not boring either. Perhaps you might find today's post (when it's eventually done!) addresses the issue.