Oh, the excitement of taking off in an aeroplane! I have not yet got over it. I love it. Love it, love it, love it. This morning, we took off in six inches of snow (not on the runway, of course). It was crisp and cold and made magical by bright sunlight.
Looking out over fields of England just past Stansted, watching a landscape covered in snow and draped in mist. Within seconds, it went from this to another cloud, then that beautiful, marshmallowy, above-the-clouds landscape.
I hardly slept, kept awake by presentation anxieties, flight-missing terrors and shouty air conditioning. These culminated in a strange ‘open plan hotel’ dream, full of businessmen without their suits and uncomfortable surprise intimacy. In the morning, contrary to expectations, there was breakfast. I ate hot buttered toast at 5.30 am and it was delicious. And I didn’t mind the company. At all.
I sat alone on the plane, though, and worked. That was perfect, needed, relaxing. I’m grateful, of course, for a successful (if challenging) session today. Again, the room seemed to show that it was successful, that it had done its job. There were hairy moments, but nothing that couldn’t be salvaged with a bit of laughter. The message got across and there’s a buzz for tomorrow’s event that’s building. That’s exciting. Another ‘first time’ tomorrow, for a different version. It can only get easier, this, and slicker.
I’ve laughed a lot today. On the final train, after a pretty long journey, full of delays, stationary aeons at stations and -12 C temperatures, we sat on our final train, giddy with tiredness, and talked about Morissons. It’s a sorry day. Charlotte got the giggles and wept laughing tears. Lucy has the best laugh too. There’s a tinge of Mutley in it, and lots of proper glee.
I love that four people, Lucy, Klemens, Charlotte and me, who really don’t know each other all that well, can so quickly form a little group with such playful intentions, where we all seem to like and respect each other. We get the job done and we all have those heads on, and we’re all ready to laugh and talk and flow. I had a wonderful time this evening.
Even though we were all exhausted, we went to the hotel’s bar and ended up ordering food. I drank a litre or fizzy water. I could drink another right now. My body needs it. I must do better tomorrow, and drink more. I feel shrivelled today, like an ancient passion fruit.
I am so relieved and glad to hear of good news for a friend whose bad news had been on my mind. Some steps towards good are happening. I’m very, very glad.
I’m delighted at the prospect of a lie-in, and by the entirely cheesy ‘Elmshorner Stadtmagazin’, with a front cover full of mmiddle-aged German ladies, mid-dance step, smiling to different degrees of self-consciousness. If I had the energy, I’d read the thing. I don’t. ‘Night.
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