Routine

You come to rely on small things when your normal routine is interrupted, replaced by strange, temporary acts that never quite feel “routine”.  I think the closest comparison is going away on holiday; we tend to jump straight into “the way we do things”, repeating them day after day (with the occasional change to accommodate “treats”).  For me, these breaks are always tinged with a slight paranoia that everyone else knows something that we don’t, that we’re missing out and everyone else is having a better time / getting better value for money / etc.

I’m developing a new routine, fortunately with no built-in paranoia!  My days are increasingly developing structure.  Intentionally unexciting*; exercise, read, rest, eat, (watch) sport, sleep.

Snails

Over recent days we have looked forward to our daily visits from a snail (we’ve named him** Geoffrey… no reason).  Geoffrey is huge (for a Scottish snail) and brave (foolhardy?).  Boldly raising two fingers to the birds of the neighbourhood Geoffrey lives his life in the open, relying on protection from the cats or perhaps his immense size to ward off potential predators.

There is something re-assuring in seeing him going about his business each day, as we go about ours.

Another little disaster

Today we had another little disaster… “Multiple Exchange Outages” resulted in the internet being out of action*** for most of the day!

When I was a kid it seemed like power cuts were run-of-the-mill, every day occurrences. In those days, the worst thing that would happen is that you’d miss your favourite TV programmes (there were limited repeats and definitely no “+1 hour” channels), that dinner would be an improvised cold meal or that you’d have to go to bed early.

Nowadays similar disruptions have much wider implications.  If I was trying to work I’d have been completely stuffed.  As it is, we are unable to communicate with the outside world (except by mobile, of course), and our entertainment options are severely constrained… we might even have to resort to another jigsaw puzzle!

*

* For the record, I should point out that others in our household are experiencing a rather more hectic and exhausting lifestyle at present.

** I realise this is sexist.  I’m also slightly conscious of the fact that it is potentially more correct to refer to Geoffrey as “it” rather than he or she.

*** At time of sending this situation has been resolved.