So how can you tell me that you're lonely And say for you that the sun don't shine Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London I'll show you something to make you change your mind (Streets of London - Ralph McTell)

I chose this track deliberately this week as it kind of reflects how fragile we all are.  It is about homelessness and this is always apparent in London even though this song is now donkeys years old; nothing has changed.  I could not give to every person I see sleeping on the streets in London, I would be penniless.  But I am always aware that it could easily be me.  If I did not work because, say I fell ill, and I did not earn I would have nowhere to live, no where to go. It sounds dramatic but unfortunately it is fact. We are all so fragile. This song has always moved me. I remember when I first started to work in London when I was 18 I used to walk pass the Embankment Gardens that run the back of The Savoy.  Most morning I saw an elderly woman, sitting in the park, obviously homeless. Beside her were all her possessions packed tightly into two, old, dirty bags. The bags were from the Savoy Taylor's Guild and Fortnum and Mason.  Two of the most expensive shops in London.  Life can be very cruel. I guess that woman made an impression on me as here we are some forty years later, I hear this song and think of her.  What a story she could have told me if I had only taken the time.

Monday:  Stressful meeting, which I was dreading, resulted in a curve ball that totally knocked me off my feet. Back home and my friend Sarah arrived.  She had travelled back from Australia.  We caught up, she showered, I cooked, we ate then we had to go on a mission. Details of which I will not go into on here but needless to say 20 years of casework and fighting the cause for others I think, paid off. Sarah left and I had a quick catch up with Andy about today's events and then it was bedtime.  I am sleeping better at the moment but it is light early now so I am doing that thing that I have always done even as a kid, waking up early. 

Tuesday:  Busy and interesting day at work and then met an old work colleague for a coffee and a good old catch up. It was lovely to see her and we certainly had plenty to talk about and we did have a good laugh. I do miss female company but like most things, people just disappear.

Wednesday:  Urgent trip to the GP this morning; this was not planned.  Same issues as last year, much to my annoyance and resulting in the same mediation.

I am not happy with this but really do not have an alternative.  I was asleep by 8.30pm, totally exhausted and feeling rather crap to be honest.  If January and February are going to be 'difficult' months for me then I will be 'ill' in March and April, I really am thinking just packing a back and disappearing.  I wonder how long it would take for certain people to notice I have gone.  Needless to say, I am certainly not holding my breath.

Thursday:  Working from home today and was going to give myself a stress free day.  This did not happen and I ended up finishing work at 18.00!  I am off for a few days now and wanted to get things sorted before hand, but ended up having horrendous IT issues that resulted me calling the IT Help Desk three

times. I mean, really?  Talk about being tested.

Finally, time to kick back and chill.  I am looking forward to having a few days off to be honest, even though I do not have much planned.

Friday:  I did not sleep well last night, no surprises there then and was up by normal time this morning.  Why does that happen? So up and out for 12 to have my pedicure.  It was OK but not my normal woman who does it and if I did not know any better I would say she no longer works there, which leaves me with a dilemma as she was lovely. Food shopping done (again), it really is a continuous and pointless pursuit.  

Quiet afternoon but all good.  Andy and I must have fits of laughter at least ten times a day.  Tonight was no different.  The pair of us are terrible at times. Had a lovely catch up with my friend Ian via FB messenger. The pair of us trying to put the world to rights, as you do. Obviously, it is still work in progress, but hey ho that is the way it goes.

As always, with my love x