Have you missed me? What a few days it has been!

Have you missed me ???
Well – what a few days it’s been….

There has been absolutely no time to blog!!!

In summary - here are the headlines
Thursday - The Car is towed away and I visit Bath
Friday - I visit Oxford, get caught by a speed camera and go to a disco
Followed by
A musing on the meaning of erotica……
Saturday - I visit Deptford, Fresh and Wild and More Deptford
Sunday - I work in Wapping and
Today - I have an early start and Deptford again.

Blimey !

So to begin here is the tale of the car and its little adventure.
There was the car parked all nicely outside my office when, whoops, in the space of half an hour it was gone….
Not stolen of course, but towed away for being illegally parked! Not good - the first thought was that it was stolen, after all its only a year since my last car was stolen - from outside our old office - so it’s not an unrealistic thought. The usual calls to car trace proved inconclusive - no they could not trace it, but it did take time to ‘get on the system’

After an hour it was on the system - in some pound in the middle of nowhere of course…

There is something about car pounds that really is offensive - it must be the nearest to visiting a jail that most of us get. Not close to transport, approached via a track that is hard to find and when you get there it is all fences, security doors and grills. And in the cabin that serves as an office there are large notices telling people not to be rude, abusive or offensive. When I got there people were just about being all three. The staff inside were obviously used to it - I found it stressful - but on it went… and on and on and …….
I was in a hurry too - and I have forgotten to mention that my minicab had got lost trying to find the place and it was now after 2pm and I should have left London by 12.30!

The lady who dealt with me was quite pleasant actually - and after I had coughed up mega pounds (note I am not using the expression mega bucks as that is American and I am blogging in English! - that’s a blog on its own!) And been through various sets of security doors -jail again - I got my car back and after the sets of doors for cars had been opened one by one was finally on the road.

Then the traffic took its turn and a straightforward journey to Bath turned into a slow and slower journey to Bath and … well I should have been there by 3.30 of 4 latest. Leaving London at 3 it then took me nearly four and a half hours - and of course Bath is just about the worst place in the world to find your way round and park etc ……. So I finally got where I was supposed to be at 7.25! Not good, not eaten, not good at all.

The journey back was much batter and I left Bath at 9.45 and was home around half past midnight. I got in to one of those moments which is what makes life special - it had been an awful day, I was furious at bring towed away - I was furious at the traffic and generally having ‘one of those days’ when just as I was opening the door I had a message to say there was soup waiting for me. Lovely home made soup is just the best possible thing when you are cold and have not eaten. It was delicious - and I had a glass of wine and a piece of cheese and felt so very much better!

Friday I had to get up and go to work as normal - that’s life - even if you have worked the night before you still need to be in the next morning. Left London at 2pm for Oxford and once again the traffic caused chaos - making me (and my stressed work colleague) late – but we were not that late and many were after us. Oxford is a lovely place - as is Bath - and one other thing they both have in common is that parking is difficult – especially near concert venues. Not good – but manageable after a struggle and with a walk to the hall with my trolley of stuff..

It was a much more relaxing evening than the night before and this time I even managed to get some food ! So it was a much better me that set off to return to London. My colleague was also in a good mood - which was unfortunate as he attempts at singing along to Magic FM made me drive fast and miss a speed camera - I am now awaiting the penalty points and the fine !! to add to my mega pound car tow away fine – Great innit!

Anyway I got home around 11.30 – not bad - and changed into my disco clothes and drove down to Vauxhall and the monthly club night I go to - its sort of garage music I guess (I’m not very good at these terms) and it was pretty busy – it was also very loud! And, to compensate for the cold out side so hot it resembled a steam bath! But it was a great night….

And the events there made me wonder about the definition of erotic …..

I digress I know but…..
Maybe it is different for everyone, but for me my definition of erotic has changed from what I suspect was the basic - the banal even - to something which is much more advanced. Maybe it’s because I am getting older… maybe it’s because I am changing and becoming more developed as a person. But it’s changed, and changed for the better.

In the last 3 months I have witnessed two of the most erotic scenes in my life, and as I have spent three score years on this earth – a large proportion of it devoted to pursuing erotica - then that is quite a statement!

And I can’t help wondering whether years back I would have found these happenings had the same reaction. Whether I would have felt the same - been able to see the truth and not been diverted into believing that for things to be erotic it had to lead to fulfilment. Well in neither case were things fulfilled and especially last Friday, things really didn’t come that close - but the effect was mesmerising. Totally mesmerising.

The site of two bodies dancing side by side, back to back, front to front, always in time to the music, taking its rhythm and letting it guide them. It wasn’t as if there was even any kissing. Just dancing and occasionally touching, two bodies that seemed made for each other, illuminated by the disco lights, caught in the moment, unexpectedly taking the opportunity that presented itself, in surroundings that are normally quite the reverse.

It was magic. And I wish there was a picture that really illustrated it.

But there is not….

So that was Friday - I got to bed at 5am - dozed till 10am on Saturday when I had to go to work. Deptford is not the best part of London and it was not a good start to the day really - but I survived it and then had to go to Wapping and do stuff before heading home and …
More soup - delicious squash and pumpkin (also a squash I know) and leek and things – see picture!

Fresh and Wild was next - via another cheaper fruit shop - I think F and W is extortionate - but it is good -and if you try and live in as green a way as possible it’s a sensible option. Nothing out of the ordinary really and still £60. Ah no - I did buy 2 bottles or wine - and some expensive (ish) bath gel.

Then it was back to Deptford and more work things - moving things and …..

Anyway I did get home around 7.30 and I abandoned my carefully planned cooking for an orgy of baked beans, fried eggs and mushrooms! Which must have been what I needed, as I went from being sleepy and sluggish to feeling awake and energetic. So it wasn’t long before I was in the car again and heading for Paddington in the pouring rain to collect my housemate and return her to the warmth of our home. Then reiki and it was soon after midnight again….

Sunday came and with it the realisation that I must go to work …. No peace for the musically employed!
And so I spent the afternoon working ….
And the evening cooking and chatting and catching up before eventually - rest and a sound sleep.

It was a really sound sleep from which I was (sadly) awakened far sooner than I would have liked. My colleague was ill - I needed to get up and go to Deptford ….. oh dear
Not the best start to the week - and moving a heavy harpsichord in and out of a lift is definitely not recommended as your start to the week.

But I have survived! And am in the think of it again….

Oh well !