Back to Reality

The weekend seems to have flown past, but it was good being able to spend time with the folks and give Dad a bit of a hand looking after Mum.

Much as I adore Manchester, sometimes I wish I lived closer to London (the feeling usually passes after a few days there though!).

At Manchester Piccadilly I bump into an old acquaintance who I’ve lost touch with. It’s strained and awkward and I make my excuses and head for the taxi rank.

I get home to find a letter I’ve been dreading. It's more than I can deal with on top of everything else at the moment. A series of phone calls help me out - first the wonderful Caroline calms me down and cheers me up, then my Mum rings and adds further sympathetic, supportive stuff and then M rings with her typical no-nonsense 'this is how you deal with it' advice.

The result I go to bed completely calm and fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.