📸 After the rain…
📸 After the rain…
📸 Moody London sky
I’ve just enjoyed an incredibly chilled out couple of hours napping, listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos. After this morning’s 5am start, it was just what I needed.
Batteries fully recharged, I’m ready for tonight’s dinner and drinks and a friend’s place. Which will almost certainly be a later night than anyone is planning.
📸 Enjoying a sliver of sunshine from the sofa
📸 Lying on the sofa, catching the single ray of sunshine that’s coming through the window, and pretending I’m somewhere warm and sunny…
Our latest art acquisition, by the very talented Gerry Buxton.
It’s called “Call me” and is painted on an actual iPhone. I loved it!
Check out Gerry’s other works here.
Sipping an IPA and enjoying the view this evening.
It’s reminding me of Tatooine…
More gorgeous views from home this afternoon.
Ooooh…
Seems my new health insurance (thanks husband, thanks husband’s new employer!) means I get a meaty discount from the local snazzy gym. And while I know we have our own gym in the basement of our apartment building, it doesn’t have a massive pool, a sauna and a steam room. Or a packed schedule of exercises classes.
I was considering joining on a four-times-a-month contract, but for just £40 more per month, I could get unlimited access. I’m going to have to check my budget and see if I can make this work.
Yes, £100 a month for a gym is both excessive, but also the price of two evenings in a London pub.
Insert shrug emoji here.
📸 Visual proof of just how exhausted I am this evening.
Still made it to the gym though, and managed 45mins on the elliptical. Whiled away the time by watching YouTube videos about life in Tokyo and doing some travel planning for later this year.
Heading into the office after yet another weekend that felt just too short.
Thankfully, this is a three day week for me and then I’m off to Scotland to see family.
Better get cracking on my todo list then!
An unusual week, this one. I started it in a hospital and I’m finishing it on the sofa. Feeling fine now and looking forward to the week ahead.
After Monday’s hospital tests, which all went to plan, I’m now waiting on my next appointment with the consultant to get some answers and a plan of action.
I’m not sure how much was physical and how much was psychological, but it took me a few days to feel like my normal self. I probably should have anticipated the next day would be tough, but Fatigue kept me from getting as much exercise as I’d have liked, and I ‘treated’ myself to a few cheat meals. As a result, I’ve regained some of the weight I lost last month. No matter. I’ll get back on the saddle this week and get back on track.
Again, for a week that started in the hospital, it turned into quite a social few days! We had a friend visiting from Singapore this week, so I ended up spending a few evenings with him, eating pizza and catching up. I also hasd a house-warming party and drinks at a friend’s place.
Yesterday, we went to The Other Art Fair in Shoreditch and fell in love with several pieces. No impulse purchases were made, though we did keep several business cards from artists we chatted with. Really lovely people, with fantastic talents on display. It was such a pleasant experience, we both left with smiles on our faces.
Add to this a dinner with my husband to celebrate our 11th anniversary (since our civil partnership - we’re over 20yrs together) and I was really looking forward to a very quiet Sunday. Mission accomplished! I’ve been doing some planning, some readying and I even re-watched Dune on Netflix. But mostly, relaxing,
2024 is going to be a year of travel, that’s for sure. With last month’s visit to Japan already under my belt, this week saw me book a weekend in Vienna with my husband, a weekend in Malaga with my best friend and start planning a week in Bangkok - again, with the hubby.
I loved my first, very short visit to Bangkok and I’ve been keen to get back for years now. Vienna and Malaga have been on my list for a few years now. And we’ve also got a week for Sitges Pride in June and a return to Japan in November. My travel journal will be full by Christmas! And it all starts with a trip to Edinburgh this coming week - a mix of business and catching up with family.
Work was most definitely a mixed bag. While I had some disappointments on the new business front (you can’t win ‘em all!), I also got some cracking feedback from a client and managed to have an incredibly productive couple of days in the office to finish off the week. I also got to finally announce a new podcast project that I’m really excited about.
And that was the week that was.
A busy weekend on the social front.
Last night was our anniversary dinner and then drinks at a friend’s place. After lunch today, we’re going to an art show in Shoreditch with a friend. Then this evening, it’s another friend’s housewarming party.
Tomorrow shall be spent on the sofa. In silence.
📸 The combination of sunshine, clouds and the London skyline is really working this evening…
📸 Enjoying the view over London this evening…
Awake since 5am.
No, not jet lag. At least, not mine.
Husband arrived back from Japan yesterday afternoon and has been wide awake since 3am. Whereas I would read or mindlessly scroll, he’s been up doing laundry and housework.
I’m exhausted just listening to it.
📸 Declaring “Sofa Saturday” and relaxing with some podcasts, YouTube and reading.
📸 I got to spend an hour with this good boy yesterday…
He’s called Theo and he’s the bestest of best boys. Full of affection (and muscle).
📸 This sky looks like my brain feels…
Landed at Heathrow after a wonderful flight from KL.
I slept most of the way, except when I was eating delicious food and chatting with the cabin crew. Though I do wonder why so many of my fellow passengers think it’s okay to be so rude and dismissive to the crew. Blows my mind.
And now… a 25mins wait for a train into London. Because god forbid there would be public transport available from when the first flights arrive in the morning.
Mission: stay awake until Canary Wharf!
Made it downstairs to our gym after work today.
Seems there’s a new neighbour in our building. One who likes to make loud phone calls on speakerphone while walking on a treadmill. He was like something from a cheap reality show.
And I hope our paths never cross again.
Yesterday evening’s sky over London was something else.
I’ve had quite a fun and productive day!
I started my morning by editing a podcast episode and then edited the video version of the same. I’m now using Descript for the podcast and I’m loving it. It’s the perfect, pragmatic solution for a non-techie like me. Although I noticed quite a few glitches in the video, courtesy of my Elgato webcam, but after lots of back and forth, I decided to publish it anyway and let the audience be the judge of how annoying it is. The stats will tell me all, I’m sure, in time.
I had a couple of client calls and some writing time for a new project, then headed back to Canary Wharf to meet an old friend visiting from Bath. He was in town for business, but had a gap in his schedule to come see me. We had time for a quick coffee and catch-up before he had to go catch his train home.
And I found a whole new (new to me!) floor and coffee shop in the local ‘Market Halls’. It was great and I can definitely see myself heading there at the weekend with my laptop if I wanted to do a bit of writing in a different environment.
I then headed to the gym, caught up on my podcasts while on the elliptical machine, while also capturing some ideas for future podcast episodes of my own.
I know I’m not the only person who gets inspired while exercising, right?
Now it’s time for a chicken salad and something good on TV. I’m filing today under ‘mission accomplished’.
Went out for a coffee with this gorgeous girl earlier.
My friend is ‘baby-sitting’ her and her sister for his neighbour. To say they were people magnets is an understatement. Everyone wants to pet a Labrador.
I’m loving the view this evening.
The sky is beautiful! And while I’d love to just sit here and soak it in, I have an appointment with the gym downstairs.