Sunday 22 July 2007

...and back to work

We came back from holiday today. We sort of came back from holiday last week as well, but only for long enough to identify a problem with our electricity, cut the grass and go away again. We have had a lovely time. Sardinia was beautiful. We stayed in a place we'd stayed in before and the sun shone and the food was fantastic - that's about where our holiday needs end provided we have enough books. Last week we were in Northumberland and while the weather was (at best!) mixed we had a great time. We visited Flodden Field ("field" being the operative word) one of the few historic places we hadn't visited in North Northumberland in spite of driving past it almost weekly; went to the Harry Potter film in Newcastle; played bad golf; walked on the beach; collected cowries (a family obsession); had visitors to stay; and had a really good time last night at the Stars of the 80's concert at Alnwick notwithstanding (in fact almost as a result of) the weather - Ooh Heaven is a Place on Earth.

Tomorrow we go back to work. I have had a deliberate policy of not being copied into emails to avoid the temptation to look a them. I find holidays deeply unsettling. They give me a glimpse of how life could be better (not that its strictly bad) and then chuck me back to where I was a week or fortnight before. I live so much better on holiday - I eat properly, I vaguely exercise and I have time. Almost more than ever I feel a need to do something about it - to simplify my life and make it better for us all. The only thing that seems to stop me is a vague fear of change and some people don't have the luxury of choosing to change. I suspect we do and should.

3 comments:

@themill said...

Didn't go to the concert but thought about you all in the rain. Drove past today and it looks a soggy mess indeed.
Time for a change? Go for it!

Anonymous said...

Holidays are great to look forward to but coming back I always find quite depressing especially when I realise how much I packed. Good to see you visited Northumberland. I went to Flodden about 15 years ago and can't really remember it too well apart from having to walk quite a distance to the memorial. Hope I'm on the right track??

Crystal xx

occasional northerner said...

On the right track. Quite a sad place really. Went to Etal Castle years ago (a concessionary family lunch while fishing on the Till) where the audio guide is quite good on the subject of Flodden generally.