Day six – Hmm

Interesting. A week ago I went a day without playing a single game of stupid fucking spider solitaire (or anything else) for the first time in months. Six days ago I started this, the six-week SFSS challenge and so far (with the exception of Saturday’s crossword puzzle), so good. I’ve stayed SFSS free.

Within two days I realised writing every morning was presenting me with a time management problem, and I vowed to get to sleep earlier and out of bed the next morning earlier. So far, not so good. I set my alarm last night for 9:30am. When it went off this morning, instead of hitting snooze as I generally do at least once, I switched the alarm off. Maybe I genuinely thought I was going to jump out of bed. I didn’t. I slept until 11:15. Ane here we are again.

I have to write this entry. I have to tidy the house up, as I have friends coming for brunch tomorrow. I have to get some paid work done. Where in the day is the hour for the gym? What do I give up in order to get there? Sigh.

Must try harder. Apparently changing sleep patterns takes longer than a couple of days. Who knew?

Why do I have friends coming for brunch on a Tuesday? Because it is my birthday tomorrow.

Many years ago, when I was sharing a house in Vancouver with my friend Rowan, we started a tradition: Eggs Benedict and Buck’s Fizz for our birthdays. That tradition continued while I was living with Mike and when I was back in London, sharing a house with my friend Ben. It fell by the way side after Mike died. Then, a few years ago, my friend Catherine was here for my birthday and I reintroduced it to the day. But, as I discovered the following year, making Eggs Benedict for one really is quite a faff – partially because it’s not easy to do Hollandaise for one, mainly because, lovely as it is, the birthday girl ends up having to do the washing up. Too much bother.

Not this year. Not that I’m expecting Donna and Garry to wash up, but I am looking forward to sharing the brunch. (Note to self: Turn the heater on in the diningroom first thing tomorrow morning.)

Thanks to my friend Catherine very generously sending me a birthday cheque, there will be prosecco for my birthday (though, not for brunch) and I can buy myself some flowers. And, if no Amazon wish list parcel turns up with the new Lee Child in it, I can afford to order it. Sweet.

Yesterday was our first off book panto rehearsal. It really was a farce, but it always is. I managed to forget my first line. Went completely blank. I wasn’t alone. I remember this point well from sitting in the director’s chair for the past three years – the point when you think, oh my god, this is never going to come together in the next few weeks. Somehow it always does. It’ll be all right on the night.

Okay, let’s keep this short. I haven’t given up on the gym yet.

Today’s black and white photo.