Friday 28 July 2023
We are having our roof repaired and guttering re-fitted at the moment. These are things we’ve never had to do with a flat in a block. I feel oddly grown up having a roofer working on the house. Today is another grey, cloudy day with more than a passing suggestion of rain every now and then. We have a visitor arriving in the next three or so hours and the house is pretty much ready. I have also done the work I feel I needed to do today so I might pack ready for Sunday’s early morning departure in the car for London.
My friend Duncan messaged me this morning suggesting I bring some of my midge repellent sprays with me as he said he was attacked by mosquitoes last night in London. I am already covered in midge bites from early evening Monday and a weeding session early evening yesterday. My left arm feels like a sheet of Braille, as does my cheek, forehead, back of neck and a stripe along my right arm. My DEET is already packed.
This is the least I have looked forward to going back down to London since we moved here, though I know in part that’s because the flat will be hot and I have a far busier ten days than I would usually have. But I am also increasingly aware how much more settled I now feel here and how much more I appreciate the quiet and significantly less pollution and noise. However, I still know that I will enjoy being in London and seeing friends and we will most likely go out for dinner one night.
In the meantime, Gary, our lovely roofer, has identified that we have bats as well as mice. Exciting times. Sort of.
Another thing I will be able to do in London is walk out to an o2 shop to see about changing my phone contract and to investigate a new phone deal. My phone is increasingly failing to charge or I’m having to use a wireless charger because a horrible warning siren thing keeps going off when I try to charge it with a cable, telling me the phone is wet. It isn’t. And neither has it been any of the ten or so times over the past three months or so it’s been telling me that. I have zero interest in a new phone, a new cover and wasted time spent setting things up.
It isn’t raining so I’m going to go out for a walk. In fact, there’s even some sunshine.
