10/2/13

1010: I'm going to have another go at the 'real-time' format I experimented with last summer, even if today's weather isn't exactly summery, as I head up to the big city for an 'R & R' day. I finished my last night shift of the week about three hours ago, I've been back to 'base' for a flying visit to facilitate breakfast and ablutions, and I'm raring to go. Or something!

1030: That's the approach to life that almost no adult can achieve - a little boy, five or six years old, skipping through the rain in the most carefree fashion imaginable. What was it I read a while back, about 9 out of 10 adults saying that growing up is overrated?

1245: The boy on the bus, an hour or so ago. 9, maybe 10, passably cute, but, for once, it wasn't the skin-deep that caught my attention. He was bright, very bright. A bit hyper, perhaps, but undoubtedly operating on a whole different level from his mother, at least. He asked her who or what she would choose to be for a day. She chose a flamingo, so she could relax in a warm country. He chose Aten, the Egyptian sun god. He had to explain to her who Aten even was. Out of her depth, and no mistake. And, gratingly to my ears, although he seemed to take it in his stride, she kept calling him 'Fluffy'. Horribly juvenilising, for a boy of his age. Would that I could have spent the afternoon just having a conversation with him.

1345: Suffering for my odyssey! I'm in a pretty far-flung corner of Greater London, if that's not a contradiction in terms, in another new to me Wetherspoons. When I got off of the bus, though, I contrived to walk in completely the wrong direction, to the opposite end of the High Street to where the pub actually is! And it's bloody cold and wet out there! Still, I can console myself that it's another one ticked off of the list. And that my first pint in eight days is a pleasant one.

1655: I've returned to familiar territory now, being ensconced at my favourite little table in my 'London local'. I just caught the last few minutes of England's Six Nations game in Dublin, as they completed what looked like a hard-fought victory. They're certainly a team in form at the moment, or so it seems. Given that the rugby was on, I'm somewhat surprised that the pub isn't busier, although maybe people have been put off by the weather - it really is pretty unpleasant outside. There were mutterings from the forecasters that it might snow tonight, and it certainly is chilly, but all we've seen so far today is plenty of rain. Que sera, sera, and all that.

1745: This is a bit of a cheat in a 'real time' post, because I was actually thinking about it at 8:30 this morning, but today's date has significance in my family - not my recently defunct marital family, but my birth family. Today, had they lived, would have been my mum and dad's 62nd wedding anniversary, and it is also the birthday of the cousin of mine closest to my own age, although I haven't seen her for quite a few years. Her older brother, although he's three years and a few weeks older than me, was my best friend for several years, from when I was around 6 or 7 until I was, perhaps, 12, but, eventually, the fact that he was well into adolescence, with all its changes of focus in life, while I was still very much a child, caused us to drift apart. We never argued, though, and on the very few and far between occasions I've seen him in recent years, there's still a bond there somewhere.

1935: Aarrghh! I'm becalmed on level 83 of Bubble Shoot! My fault for playing mindless games, of course. But at least it keeps me off the streets and out of mischief! That and the Staropramen, anyway!

2015: Time to go - I'm getting extremely heavy-lidded. I think I might sleep well tonight!

Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B