10 days in the Egyptian air, slumbering on beachside pillows, being gently glowed by warm Red Sea breeze and entering the bewilderingly strange and alien world of the deep ocean depths has certainly had what one could call an ideal effect. It hasn’t really been until I’ve returned home that I realise just how good a time it was, how filled it was with diving and then relaxing in the evenings, puffing like Alice’s caterpillar on the Shisha and enjoying simple fresh foods whilst nestled amongst Egyptian pillows, lanterns and the multitude of cats that prowled eagerly around the restaurants. Returning to the quickly changed seasons of Britain has given me the shock of my life and though Christmas is not nearly upon us seeing the commercial led adverts with their trite little jingles has already started to irritate. Its October and already we’re being pushed to buy a new sofa, buy in the kids presents, get a new kitchen just in time for the turkey! Oh how the Western world has much to learn of the relaxation and in-obtrusive ways of developing countries. 

This week is to be busy. In addition to regaining the jumble of my gardening work there are several other tasks that must be undertook. With the parents arriving next Friday followed by Christine in a month’s time, the half painted staircase, the annoyingly unfinished kitchen floor, and the rucked up, waiting for a new hall carpet job still all have to be finished. Toby is finally behaving himself when it comes to matters of nature’s call so at least the house is smelling altogether much fresher than before but there is still much to do in what seems very little time. Get my act together now and it’ll be fine, leave it much later and I’ll need to grow more arms and hands to deal with the increasing chores that will glooming over me. In addition to this whilst I have some free(ish) time I sincerely need to work on the book, there is no point at all having a half finished novel lying dustily around in your computer files and only dusting it off sporadically to take a look. I need to sit down, do some serious work and bash out the remainder of the story. If I can manage 2-3 hours a day this coming week then I’ll be happy, but I have walls to paint and gloss, driving lessons and PADI exams to take, a floor to lay, a cat to take to the vets and once my list gets started I doubt it’ll ever finish!