Ante Meridian

We'll maybe call it a question of motivation. This last week, when I've been off work, I've barely left the house.

It's interesting in a way. I couldn't have what I really wanted and nothing else out there held much appeal this week. I've been out food shopping and that's pretty much it. I've been, if not content, at least accepting of pottering around the house, reading and listening to music. With the occasional DVD thrown in.

I wonder when the verb "to potter" came into its current usage? It's probably out there is some philological website but I can't be arsed to look it up at this time of night. Of the morning, actually.

"Morning". There's a word to conjure with. One morning, which will probably not be before next summer at the earliest, I'm going to sit up all night on a beach, possibly with a picnic and an acoustic guitar, and wait for the sun to rise. To be there to accept the blessing of the day before it becomes tainted. It won't be tonight, though. As I'm back at work next week I should really be getting some kind of a sleep routine going again or Monday is going to be an even ruder shock than usual.

And I guess that includes not blogging at a quarter to two in the morning. There's that m-word again.

Mental Paralysis

Still. Frozen, almost. As immobile as a railing in winter - the kind that your hand tries to stick to because of the frost.

I've tried to get my mind going to post something here but it just hasn't happened. No matter what's happened in the great big, wide, you-betcha world, there's been nothing to come trip-trapping out of the keyboard and onto the page. My mind hasn't really been stirred by the horror of a man's alternative to the democratic process, a voice being finally stilled, or by England winning one of the most exciting Test Matches I remember. My heart has, but not the creative synapses within my addled brain.

So this is now early Wednesday morning on the second week of my holiday. My reason for reason is thousands of miles away and a sultry night is drifting all around me. I'd give a lot for a thunderstorm right now, and I'd sure as certain be going for a walk in it. Yep, sure as certain. Right here and now. Not that it's going to happen. I'd be able to smell it if there was any good Irish rain nearby and I can't so there isn't.

There's the distant sound of cars trundling along. I can hear the occasional student as well. Always students. There's only about three hours out of the 24 that there isn't the sound of students. I remember the days when I could cheerfully have partied until the wee small hours and then functioned satisfactorily the next day. Those days are long gone, now, as are many things that I miss less.

The window is already as wide as it'll go but I'll try to force it a little wider. I'll stand there for a minute or two, hoping to catch a sweet breeze floating down from Airport Hill. And then I'll try to sleep. Again.

Caped

So it's official, now. For two weeks Cape Town is going to be the luckiest city in the world. This Saturday my Pretty Girl flies out there to deliver training until August 6th.

Of course, I'll miss her horribly but I'm very proud of her that she's been asked to go. We could have done with a little more notice and, in an ideal world, another payday before she goes but that's okay too. It is what it is. She has a functioning phone and iPod and I'll install Skype on the computer. I might even dodge over to Heathrow to meet her and accompany her back to her beautiful country.

We're spending as much time together before she goes as is possible. I'm "on holiday" and she's not, but we're finding ways around it. There'll be people out there saying "It's only two weeks! Get over it."

That'd be fair comment for some people but we're one of those nauseating couples who would cheerfully spend every minute of every day together. I can pass round a sick bucket, if it's be easier for you all.

On to other things - I don't know how many of you have found yourselves a Google+ invite. If you haven't and you'd like one, I can probably accommodate friends! That's a caveat, by the way. If anyone I don't know springs out of the woodwork having found their way here by searching for the aforementioned social network and begs an invite they can get knotted!

At some point in the next few days I'll be explaining why it's better than Facebook and Twitter and why I'm liking it so much already. Probably.

Back

So it's been nearly a month since I was here. A lot of that time has been spent doing "the word thing" at work. They pay the bills.

Have I been too drained to blog? Maybe so. Maybe so. I've tried once or twice. Sat here looking at a blank page, without any idea of what to type, without any idea whether it'd be any good if I did. It's very easy just to post links to Facebook or to Google+, the virtual way of saying "Hey, look at this!" without having to elaborate. Those closest to me will attest that I'm hardly a chatterbox.

Sometimes things move me so much that my faltering sentences don't do it justice. You'd have to look into my eyes to know how deeply I'm feeling things. Video-blogging? I don't think so, thanks a million. Not even if it were possible. It might be. Don't know.

What I want to  remember is that I may work with words all week but that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy them when I'm not at work.

I've been fine, thanks for asking. Weary, because I've been working hard. I've had some lovely moments and days with my beautiful girl and I'm always looking forward to the next.

Life is good. I work hard because it's what's needed. I have a future to build and to plan for. There are worse jobs I could be doing.I'd still kind of like to move before winter but it will have to be a pretty special place. The memories I've made in this house have given it a tremendous aura and I'm very content. Stone floors in the depths of winter, though...

It's late so I'm done. The sun will rise tomorrow and I'll be at work. I'll be deeply in love and I'll be back Twirling again in less than a month. Promise.