Friday 3 October 2008

Do Not Disturb: Escapist At Work

Phew! I have had a day of doing nothing at all, apart from the essential walks with the dog, tea making, and some rapid preparation of meals for self and team, except to start, devour avidly and finish Ann-Marie MacDonald's first novel 'Fall on Your Knees'. I don't do this sort of addictive, non-stop, totally-immersed reading very often nowadays, as it sort of knocks me out of reality a bit, which makes the resumption of normal routine a bit jarring for a day or two, so it remains a real treat.

But before I sat down with this novel, which I enjoyed very much, I booked train tickets for a few days in London from next Saturday, and then frightened myself by looking at my bank balance, which is in a scary state, especially on a day as cold as today, when all brave declarations of economising on heating seem impossible to live up to. I thought I was living quite frugally, but I'm going to have to get a lot better at living on a pension than I seem to be at present. Maybe I shouldn't have ordered that Ottolenghi cookbook from Amazon...or booked the dog in for the full works at Posh Pups next Tuesday...too late now... Maybe living on lentils (euphemism for thrift and economy and eating what's in the pantry) for a while is in order.

I'm looking forward to a few days with the Lovely Son and his large cat, the
tabby princess. Part of the planned trip will include a visit to the Houses of Parliament, shown round by a friend-of-a-friend who welcomes some light relief from life in the House of Lords. I have wanted to do this for years. Exciting, no?

The Lovely Son, not given to frugality
(he's already mentioned two nice little French restaurants nearby) can plan the rest of my visit, so long as it involves thrift and economy. A forlorn hope, I suspect. Maybe November should be the month of living on lentils.


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