Knutsford

So Thursday, work just whizzed by, I worked my socks off to maintain my lead, (on myself, I don't compete with others,) my stats finished more than double what they should have been.... but don't tell anyone, they'd kill me.

J calls in for a brief 10 minutes, we haven't spoken all week which is highly unusual, she's rushed off her feet at the moment and she looks exhausted.  I feel bad and just want to give her a hug or get her to at least lay down so that she can go to sleep, she looks like if she blinked, she'd be in the land of nod.  Anyway, brief as it was, it was good to see her and I hugged her as hard as I could as she left, hopefully she gets that I've missed her.

Today is my last Friday off for four weeks so I am going to relish every second.  I haven't run properly for at least three weeks so I'm running this morning, come hell or high water and even if it's only for 10 minutes.

For anyone who doesn't believe that if you want to lose fat, the only way to do so, is to combine diet and exercise, and my sister is one of those who needs convincing.  Anyway, the reason I know this is because when I'm sad or stressed, which I have been for the past few weeks, I eat rubbish, add to that, I haven't been feeling my best and so I've slacked off on the exercise and hey presto, I'm now 4lbs heavier, or I should say, at least 4lbs heavier, I'm too scared to get on the scales this morning.  I sleep well and wake early, breakfast then change and put on my running shoes.  I decide on a 15 minute run, I don't want to shock my body too much but tomorrow it will be 20 minutes.

I did my clothes wash last night, this morning, I throw in the bedding and, once it's done, with a deep breath, I peg it out on the line with the hope of some sunshine, it isn't promising so far but looks like it might turn out nice.

I wake up fine, run, breakfast, around 8am, my left, (my good,) eye, starts to become irritated, it gets progressively worse, I try several mirrors, several angles, feels like an eyelash is sticking into the lens, cannot spot the culprit, maybe that's because my good eye is impaired?

I eventually head out for coffee at my usual haunt, I literally cannot see while driving there.  I divert to a supermarket and buy the cheapest eye drops I can find, (it's days before payday and they were still £3.00.)  The drops don't make any difference, apart from the first few seconds on application which at least provide some relief.  I arrive at Starbucks, exchange pleasantries with Mr Regular, I write to you a little and flick through a magazine, speaking of which, still haven't received my prize yet.  Anyway, I can't hang around today, I have somewhere to be.  Re-apply drops, (this is the third time now,) and head out onto the motorway.

And so, after wondering if I was having a stroke, getting conjunctivitis, or going blind, and after having used enough of that solution to flush out a small dog, my eye suddenly felt much better.  There must have been something stuck in there, irritating it, and it was, eventually, flushed out.

I'm meeting my cousin Jayne today for "coffee and cake" just before she returns to work after the arrival of Amelie Sophia.  We don't see much of each other but we're pretty close.  There are eleven years between us so I remember her being born, I remember getting the bus with my Mum for what felt like, a day, to get to her first birthday, (I have no idea how we got home.)  I remember keeping her occupied on family visits, I used to tap out songs on the palm of her hand for her to guess, a kind of, home version of, "Name that Tune," (it was so that we didn't interrupt the adult conversation around the table,) sounds lame I know, but one or both of us were pretty good at this game as she guessed most songs.  Anyway, she's become a really good friend and confidant, and I'm really happy about that and grateful.

Jayne and I meet in Knutsford, somewhere I worked for a while, it's a quaint, one road in, one road out town, full of character in the heart of the countryside and it's so good to catch up.  It's the first time we've met without Amelie in a year, little Amelie is spending the whole day in nursery and while I miss the smile and a cuddle, I'm relishing my time with Jayne, while I can, before we're both at work full time.  I know that it'll be harder to squeeze in visits after next week.

I get a text as I'm walking towards our rendezvous to say that she's waiting outside as that will be easier, I arrive seconds later and she's rocking sunglasses, her new short hair do and a jumpsuit, she is in fashion, so what do you expect huh?  She looks fabulous, as usual.

We chat away covering all bases in our limited time, we have coffee and a large cupcake each, and we sit out, upstairs and on the terrace, really reminds me of that place in Hamilton where we had lunch on my first day, it was lovely.

So after a couple of hours of catching up, we say our goodbyes, vow to see each other before Christmas, (this sounds ridiculous, but it's not really, Christmas will be here before we know,) then I head home, via the supermarket, fizzy water, ginger, chillies.  An hour into my ironing and I check my phone and have two messages, both from work.  Are you sitting down?  Well, you'll probably know by the time you're catching up with this, but after almost three years, there is overtime on Sunday!!!!  I am so excited, I have to do it and another dozen Sunday's and I could be booking my flight to see you again!  This could be a one off or it could be the start of a few, but either way, it is so welcome.

So I'm all excited with no one to tell, so I phone my cousin L, she's confused that I'm phoning at a time which isn't "ours," but listens patiently and makes all the right noises, and I feel better for having told her. 

J phones me back eventually, sounds distracted while she listens, she probably is, she's at CJ's, still, I'm okay, I can be excited on my own now.