The Marvels of Unexpected Change

This morning, I'm having a lazy Saturday morning. This is somewhat of a new experience - not entirely, of course, but not the usual. The plan had been to get up, cycle about 5 miles over to Tod, do some shopping, come back, do useful stuff blah blah blah. Instead, I rolled over about 8am, picked up a book, dozed, read, wondered how to get out of bed, had a bath, made a smoothie and now, two and a half hours later, I'm still not dressed but snuggled on my attic couch under my polar-bear blanket reading, occasionally tapping away on my laptop (like now) and generally realising that yes, I am allowed to have a quiet morning of doing, well, pretty much nothing!

At the moment I'm living between two abodes - both of which I love in very different ways. Where I am right now, in Hebden, is a gorgeous room with lots of light, right by the canal, up in the attic, oodles of space and just a lovely feel to it. I told my landlady the other day how much I enjoy living here and she was really touched (bless). But it's true - I've really landed on my feet with this abode and it very much feels like a Tigger room, especially now I've moved the furniture around 2 or 3 times!

However, it lacks the random jobs that aren't urgent but need doing at some point - of which there are oodles and oodles in Morecambe. Last weekend when I was there I realised that all those jobs will happen - when the time is right. For example, the back room on the ground floor had a going over, simply because I had a bit of time at the end of the afternoon before catching my train and I felt like shifting boxes and stuff. And it now looks lovely (not entirely functional but that's easily changed in about 30 seconds by dragging chairs out from under the bed to more sociable positions) and much more "finished". Obviously, it's not entirely finished (still some of those non-urgent jobs lurking, like making the boxing in round the electrics a bit tidier, boxing in the water pipes and sorting out FabricLand) but in a *much* better state ahead of the fun of folks coming to stay in August. I also really noticed a) how much stuff I have and b) how much rooms in Morecambe really feel like home. I think my developing relationship with the house over such a long time (without spending much time there at all) has worked really well and the incessant "must get everything done!" feeling has also eased - although I do now have a veritable workshop in the basement. A workshop that needs tidying, mind, but a workshop all the same. And two blown light bulbs (including one where the light fitting has gone as well) but in bits of the basement I can ignore for the time being.

Point being, there's a bit of a shift going on at the moment and I like it. Maybe this is what "getting older" is all about, but actually I think it's just finding a new level of "Relax" which is ace. :)

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.

Tigger Gets Curtain Track Without Paying Real Money: Shock!

The truth is true: today, I went into a well-known DIY shop, perused the various curtain track options, settled on the one I wanted (genius, that), took it to the check-out, didn't pay any money and left without being apprehended! Admittedly, payment was taken in the form of accumulated points but I was happy anyway.

And while we're on the subject of being apprehended, I witnessed a security guard veritably fly at a young chap attempted to walk off with some merchandise from a music-type shop earlier today. Initially thought it was a mate of said young chap about to "bounce" him (much as I have been known to do) but the grabbing of said chap, shoving of arms behind back and frog-marching back into the shop somewhat altered my view on that one.

ANYWAYS, more good news in the form of it no longer being Freezey McFreezo in Morecambe, and as such distinctly warmer in my modest abode even without the heating on. Plus the boiler's fixed which is always a bonus (the bill will be less of a bonus, but these things happen). The house is also feeling more and more like my home - I seem to feel I say this every time I come here, but things like patchwork curtains in the snug and, well, just having made more cosmetic changes (my built-in shelves are still standing the test of time - and the weight of the various paper-based items on them) which suit *me*. Hurrah.

So all in all, it's been a good day. I've travelled. I've got to Morecambe. I had a vegan ice cream sundae and I don't have to leave the house (unless I choose to) until Monday morning. Good work, the Tig. :)

Thank You

Thank you to the lady in the red coat who offered me a seat on the overcrowded tube this morning (not because I looked particularly in need: just because she was getting off shortly).

Thank you to the students from this weekend (and particularly those who helped me understand a new level of patience & love and the fabulous power of the mind...or at least that's what I like to think of it as).

Thank you to the amazing trainer and support team for this weekend - I've learnt, I've been supported and I've loved spending time with you.

Thank you to my friends for understanding when I wasn't going to make it to see them - and to those who stepped in and looked after me, fed me, and made me feel welcome.

Thank you to whatever it was that got me to the train station just in time to see my train was cancelled and get me on the preceding train.

Thank you to the sense of the train operator for the flexibility of letting advance purchase tickets go on either the train before or after the cancelled ticket.

And thank you, thank you, thank you for the sanity of free wifi for *everyone* on the train.

I've a lot to be thankful for - so Thank You.

Train Travelling Feb 18th

I find a strange peacefulness in train journeys. Not all of them – sometimes I'm too tired, or not tired enough, to enjoy them. But tonight is a time when I'm in exactly the right place for a train journey: not impatient to get where I'm going, not so alert I want to be incredibly busy, I have a book to read, music to listen to and interest in the passengers around me should I wish to people watch, discretely of course. I'm sharing a table with a blonde haired guy about my age – easily could be a consultant on his way back from 4 days working out of town, I remember those days. He's deep in a book which seems to be book ten of, well, I don't know how many. And either he's not a regular train traveller or something about me he finds curious – perhaps the absolute ease I have with reading other passengers' looks as they hunt a seat, being just ready for the lady collecting rubbish, or just me being me.

In many ways this journey is a bit of a first: travelling down to London for the first training course since I've been working for the company as my “day job”. The wearing of separate hats I feel may be more of a challenge in this particular scenario but time will tell. I'm carrying last minute items, I've done a full day's work and I was cheated of the opportunity for chips by a cafe refit. Oh, and of paying in some cheques because the required cash machine was out of service. Grr. But these things happen. Despite being on this line just a week ago (not even, today being Thursday) something feels very different. Perhaps I'm just not used to this line yet. Who knows.

There is so much to write of. Walking along the canal. Settling in (or otherwise) to a new abode. All the news of my new job. But right now is the time for reading.

I *heart* Perth Station (Jan 8th)

I like to think of myself as a bit of a train station connosieur - and today I've found a beauty.

Never before have I stopped in Perth (I've passed through at least once, but possibly no more) and with a 7 minute connection between trains I was somewhat anxious. The snow meant I had nothing to worry about regarding connection times (a 20 minute delay to my departing train at the time of writing) but the station - oh, how my heart sang!

At the moment I'm travelling with my trusty Brompton folding bicycle, Billy. I was able to stepp of the train lifting bulky & heavy (but manageable) the Billy-laden-with-full-panier combo, and once settled at the platform I saw...steps to the bridge to my right...no evidence of a lift to the bridge in front of me...and a RAMP from platform to bridge level to my left! Genius! Not sure how long they've had that ramp, but it looks like it's been there as long as the bridge itself - recent additions don't tend to have the gorgeous ironwork of yesteryear.

Familiarising myself with the station and meandering along the bridge I discovered my next exciting fact: Perth has ramps from platform to bridge for EVERY PLATFORM! What I had anticipated would be a struggle up and down steps was a blissing wheeling of my bicycle. Hurrah!

Now, it being the middle of The Big Freeze it's somewhat of the variety BITINGLY COLD up in Perth. Never fear - friendly waiting room is here! It's very simple - benches round the outside, lots of space for standing / push chairs / luggage in the middle, brightly lit and WARM. Comfortably warm to wait in, and that, at the end of the day, is what waiting rooms are for. So yet again Perth has excelled itself as a station. My experience of it may be brief but oh my, it's very much turning into Tigger's Top Station (current title holder: Preston).

Yes, I am a train gekk. And you know what? It makes me feel proud :)