A day off

I suffered from galloping insomnia on Thursday night for some reason. I seem to be prone to it at the moment. I sleep very lightly wake every few hours. Usually it’s ok but on Thursday (or rather Friday morning) I made two schoolgirl errors.

I had been waking on and off all night and got fed up just after 2 and went to read for a bit. Disaster, finished my book about 4. Dozed off again then woke startled at 5ish convinced the dog was barking. I went downstairs to find Lyra fast asleep, until I came into the kitchen…… I was then the designated playmate. We had two wanders round the garden then I thought I might creep back to bed. No chance, whichever door I made for the dog was there first and I knew that the minute the door was opened she’d be up the stairs and performing her furry alarm clock routine on everyone else. I settled down to the news and coffee..

All in all by the time alternative dog playmates were available I had a thumping headache and felt distinctly jaded.

So I gave myself the day off.

I packed my headphones, and audio book and the half finished green cardi I had put to one side pending a conclusion on where the pockets should be (knitting off piste again…) and headed to my garret. Once I had evicted Lyra from the comfy seat that was me for the day. I even convinced Lachlan to bring me lunch!

There’s a particular pleasure in real immersion, just letting a whole day go past listening to a story and finishing it the same day (or in my case a bit after midnight).

If anyone is interested it was Linda Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other which shared the Booker this year. I really enjoyed it. There were a few places where I thought she perhaps got a bit too into explaining a point, which I think could have emerged by itself, and I might have pruned in places, but overall it was a hugely engaging read (or listen) and it really lent itself to audio format (it is intertwining narratives).

I also worked out where the pockets go, finished one cardi front and started on the other – so productive as well.

Slept like a log last night and looking forward to a more active day today. A day off was just what was needed.

And if you can’t do it in lockdown when can you…?