Hello, I'm the Landlord

Arrive "home". Enter property. "Oh, hello Francoise...Oh, you're not Francoise," (you're a boy) "Are you the new person moving in? Great. I'm The Landlord - hello!"

Being back in London is a very odd place to be. It brings back all the "oh, I'll put up with it" sense that I had when I was here full time (in as much a I ever *was* here "Full time") and reminds me of just how lucky I am not to be here. But made me wonder why it is I have a flat here. And how it is I have a flat here. And how flats and property are all a bit weird. And how my life is brilliant (and right now, having checked my email, feeling a little bit all alone). And how things move on and change.

This weekend is a strange one. I've been battling a cold for about a week now and I'm either losing the battle or it's showing itself in full force so it can wrap itself up swiftly. I'm definitely hoping for the latter. In the mean time (while I work out which) I have lots of places to be. Although thankfully less than I had originally planned - although my purse is a little lighter for the privilege. Working out one's train travel in advance is a crazy thing.

But mainly it's a sense of disconnection. Looking forward to seeing Connor when he makes it back from being out and about - if only because otherwise I feel like I'm gate crashing my own flat. Which is weird. Although I do like "what they've done with the place". Still feels like the flat I knew but feels very much like other people are living here. As 'twere.

*The blog post with no name*

I feel very privileged to be a habitual train traveller. Just now I'm on my way from Hebden Bridge to Morecambe (hurrah!) and I think it's fair to say that I'm entirely of the opinion the stretch between Hebden & Burnley is among the nicest I know. It cuts right through narrow valleys, involving various tunnels, as well as views which are normally only seen when one has wandered into the wilds. Yes, there are roads that cut through gorgeous scenery, but they're roads. They're different. Seeing sheepies and herons (OK, only one heron) and people, and houses and all sorts of greenery is great. As is seeing a selection of saplings in a little soon-to-be-copse, some of which are already fully green and leafy, the others still like bare twigs. A stark reminder of the different growing patterns of different trees, even in exactly the same spot.

A couple about my age were sitting at a table across from mine and somehow that got me to thinking about the fact that although I always imagine my boyfriend / partner / husband having a car (and perhaps meeting me from the station), I don't see me having a car. Don't know why. It started as an environmental habit and it is now very much a lifestyle choice. Yes, there are days when it's a veritable pain but I've got to know the rail system well enough to know how to make it work for me. And it does work. It means I can write this now (rather than being on miles of boring boring motorway). It means I get to gaze at countryside not available to see from a road. It gives me a vantage point higher than in a car – and so a different view on the world. Last week my boss took a train for the first time in a good few years (he used to be a regular train traveller) and remarked that he felt like he'd rediscovered a whole world just beyond his usual sphere. I feel a little like that when people have long discussions about motorways and A-roads. But you know what? I'm quite happy dabbling in roads when travelling with others, or when I get behind the wheel myself, but for the rest of the time, train travel is the way for this little Tigger.

**

It's been another epic week. After much much fun over the Easter weekend with Joinees in Nottingham (I played football! And we won! And I took a header! And gave the other team's captain a veritable bruiser because I flowed with the tackle and he, well, didn't!) and then a gorgeous 24 hours with my cousin and her family, it was back to Hebden, land of my beautiful spacey, airy, yet somehow cosy attic room and into the office. My co-worker in the office had hurt her ankle over the weekend (originally diagnosed as bad bruising: now suspected to be a fracture) which left me covering bits of her job while also doing my own. Definitely kept me on my toes! I had some really exciting pieces of work to follow up along with the more mundane activities, but I somehow managed to stay sane and smiling – albeit on occasion the end of day smiling being more a vacant-eyed hysteria than anything else. I can't believe I've been in this new life of mine for 2 months – it feels both much longer and not that long at all. I only hope my boss's fear I'll burn out remains a fear and nothing more.

But Preston is approaching and with it a level of relaxation and happy anticipation of the sea, my wonderful home and my even more wonderful weekend stretching out ahead of me. Mmmmm.