Reasons to be cheerful

Reasons to be cheerful today:

1. Joaquin Phoenix. Because I watched Buffalo Soldiers last night and I could do perverted things with that man. Seriously.
   
2. Poetry. In particular Maddy Prior’s musical treatment of G.K. Chesterton’s The Rolling English Road. For some reason it’s brought me particular joy this morning, maybe because it’s gray and damp and the words have reminded me of summer days spent wandering country lanes - verges full of lacy cow parsley, and hedgerows swathed in the delicate pink of dog roses.
   
3. My new flat screen computer monitor here at work. No more bluescreen and flicker. Just crispness and clarity. Joy unbounded in the office.
   
4. Installation of shiny new kitchen is underway.

Sea longing

Not sure how sad this is (well, OK, probably pretty pathetic): on the way back from France I found myself desperately wishing that we were taking the car ferry rather than the Chunnel so that I could get to sea again and feel a deck pitching and rolling beneath my feet.

Must be desperate if I'm even considering a car ferry as sailing...

I've always liked the sea, always enjoyed being by it, but I've never particularly felt the need to be on it before.

I truly didn't expect it to grab me this way.