Strangeness and Charm

It's a very strange experience being apart from someone you've lived with for 30 odd years (and some of them were very odd!). The thing is everything seems to me to be more or less going on as normal. I wake up and have my early morning cup of tea around 6.00 in bed, walk the dog every morning, collect the paper, check my emails, do some OU work and then make a very poor attempt at the Guardian Crossword . It all feels completely normal but something's missing...

Now and then I forget that something's missing and turn to share a half baked idea and then remember. It's odd. There are compensations though; I wake up to lovely emails delivered overnight, while I sleep, to my iPhone which I can read as I drink my morning tea. I do miss being the "smart arse" who can supply the last answer to the Quick Crossword and receive a glare in return. It's funny what you miss...

I haven't got long of the solitary life left as Becca(daughter) will be starting her PhD at Warwick soon and spending part of the week here with me, so I better make the most of it while I can! I'm quite looking forward to Becca being around, partly because she reminds me so much of her mum. Not in her looks, they're completely different but in her mannerisms. In particular that air of quiet exasperation when I do something ever so slightly stupid - again. I think it's the again that does it!

Then there's the charming bit, the emails I've mentioned. The "I can't talk now I'm in a rickshaw" response to a phone call. "I'm in the pub", I've heard before but "I'm in a rickshaw"?! The cheery phone calls letting me know all's well on the other side of the world and asking for my advice or opinion on something. Just for a while it is if there's nothing missing. I like that!