Something from nothing
In many ways living alone in a huge city with no community requires making something from nothing most of the time, but some days are far more nothing than others. I was working today before I went out so taken care of, and not only have to clear the rubbish from my ex-grandma's house tomorrow (three floors, four bedrooms and two reception rooms, plus a double garage for later) single handed, urgent as my friends from Florida (once London) decided it was my job to find them accommodation after returning after 4 plus years to renew their visa. Had it not been available they'd have been after my house which is half the size and even if I'd left for a week goodness knows how they'd fit in. Beyond tomorrow who knows, so it is my dual job to keep using the spare time and writing when there's little to write about.
I could be in bed now, but half an hour either way tomorrow won't make much difference. The clocks also go back, although my feeling it was wrong to do so was finally confirmed when I realised everyone is up at 4pm whereas a fraction are at 8am, besides night workers, so utilitarian rules (not ours though) demand the most benefit from the situation than not. How they can make it dark for everyone while it's light for maybe half the population 5 months of the year beats me, plus we're not even on the same time as Europe (which I personally believe we are not quite part of, but is still stupid). That also means my paperwork will start and then the inevitable publicity drive to get my articles published. There's also my annual professional development list to keep my counselling status so time to get that sorted out as well. I don't really mind staying in doing office work but would be nice to find someone here to talk to as well, especially as there's now no cat either. Ms M would be similar except the cat let me stroke her, and Ms M2 would give me no chance to do any work at all. The other couple of possibilities either want to go out or talk non stop so fall into the same category, but I only need one mug, I mean free local person who isn't a liability and may also have no one to talk to and I'll be sorted.
There are a few retired ladies on my estate, one nearer my age who has been on the verge of making arrangements for years although I met my last proper girlfriend soon after I met her so delayed anything for a couple of years so went pretty cold after that. The other is in her 80s and collects and distributes paperwork for the person I do accounts for, and get an average hour's life story (unfortunately mainly the same parts each visit) which is quite enough without inviting any more. On the whole London (I've lived in a number of places here) is the same everywhere, neighbours who know others are the exception and if you're lucky one will become a friend although most are out during the day and busy with their families the rest of the time. Give them a legal problem or broken down car and they're here in seconds, never to be seen until the next disaster, but we all need help sometimes. So I currently have the skeleton, plus tomorrow's version of the middle finger, and hope to put some more meat on the bones as the week goes on. And I hope it's more than just the index finger to join the other one...
I could be in bed now, but half an hour either way tomorrow won't make much difference. The clocks also go back, although my feeling it was wrong to do so was finally confirmed when I realised everyone is up at 4pm whereas a fraction are at 8am, besides night workers, so utilitarian rules (not ours though) demand the most benefit from the situation than not. How they can make it dark for everyone while it's light for maybe half the population 5 months of the year beats me, plus we're not even on the same time as Europe (which I personally believe we are not quite part of, but is still stupid). That also means my paperwork will start and then the inevitable publicity drive to get my articles published. There's also my annual professional development list to keep my counselling status so time to get that sorted out as well. I don't really mind staying in doing office work but would be nice to find someone here to talk to as well, especially as there's now no cat either. Ms M would be similar except the cat let me stroke her, and Ms M2 would give me no chance to do any work at all. The other couple of possibilities either want to go out or talk non stop so fall into the same category, but I only need one mug, I mean free local person who isn't a liability and may also have no one to talk to and I'll be sorted.
There are a few retired ladies on my estate, one nearer my age who has been on the verge of making arrangements for years although I met my last proper girlfriend soon after I met her so delayed anything for a couple of years so went pretty cold after that. The other is in her 80s and collects and distributes paperwork for the person I do accounts for, and get an average hour's life story (unfortunately mainly the same parts each visit) which is quite enough without inviting any more. On the whole London (I've lived in a number of places here) is the same everywhere, neighbours who know others are the exception and if you're lucky one will become a friend although most are out during the day and busy with their families the rest of the time. Give them a legal problem or broken down car and they're here in seconds, never to be seen until the next disaster, but we all need help sometimes. So I currently have the skeleton, plus tomorrow's version of the middle finger, and hope to put some more meat on the bones as the week goes on. And I hope it's more than just the index finger to join the other one...
3 Comments:
Your Florida friend's timed that nicely. What would happen if you said you didn't have anywhere they could stay, or that you would charge them the market rate for a holiday let? Good luck with the clean-up.
I'm wondering if alternating Ms M and Ms M2 would be a helpful compromise.
By lesley153, Oct 24 09 7:43 AM
The Ms alternate themselves but the more demanding one tends to overbook and cancel most of her visits thank goodness. If I said I didn't have anywhere to stay they'd have probably questioned why I couldn't give up my house as we could all fit in if I really wanted. You've seen it, five people, with no space in the only spare room? He was pretty gutted when we told him what we would be charging but that would be a single night if they went to a hotel. Still stingy after all these years, they taught me all I know on that area.
By satguru, Oct 24 09 11:40 AM
I can't even imagine five guests all trying to reach the coffee and cornflakes at the same time, let alone fighting for pillows and queueing for the loo.
... if *you* really wanted? Yes, we all need friends like that. Actually, come to think of it, we probably all have friends like that already.
By lesley153, Oct 24 09 2:41 PM