Back to Normal

For various reasons over time we broke our routine. Not just one thing but several things.

We would make a point of taking Friday off from HHF and heading out usually to the beach. In fact b. e. a. c. h. as we never say the word but spell it instead otherwise the dogs get all excited and run out to the car. Life is a bit like that here there are certain phrases and words that must be spelt out, mimed or paraphrased. Well the trips stopped mainly because we sold the old car where the dogs were welcome in the back seat. We could have used the work vehicle but in Summer the Aluminium tray gets a bit hot and then of course Nikki needs molly coddling because of his neck problem. And once you break a routine it stays that way for long time.

The other thing that fell by the wayside some weeks ago was our morning visit to the pool. Vintage intervened with its pre-dawn starts and late night finishes. In addition we may have been overdoing it a bit because Jean would be completely wacked for the rest of the day barely staying awake. A real live Zombie in the house. We took a break.

We had stopped taking a day off each week i.e. a day where we went out but not shopping and running errands just taking the kids and coffee and driving somewhere and doing nothing much.

I put it down to Summer. Fire preparation activity, vegetables, wine, repairs and everything else. Any excuse will do. In part it is the pressure of lists. The things that need to be done soon and time off is not a pleasure if you spend the time thinking about what hasn't been done.

Eventually, you catch up enough that whatever is left on the list doesn't seem all that vital and succumbing to the pleasures of a leisurely drive, sitting in a park watching the dogs run around sniffing and playing feels more attractive.

And so it was. A drive in the country, a park by the river, coffee, cake, the works. Cool enough for the girls to sit on the tray and Nikki on a blanket in the back seat wearing his restraining "Jammies" (body harness).

Dickens' character Mr Micawber always said:

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six, result misery."

 At HHF:

 "Days allocated each week seven, days worked each week six, result happiness. Days allocated each week seven, days worked each week seven, result misery"

Oh and I forgot we went to the pool very early and performed some simple exercises with a short swim after a warm welcome by the pool manager.

Back to normal.