Z gets dusty and winds down

I’m getting surprisingly good at relaxation.  Not in a meditative, yogaish sort of way, just chillin’.  Indeed, there’s always the possibility that I’ll become too good at it and I’ll never get anything useful done at all.

Turning out the study is a surprisingly effortful job, mind you.  For one thing, I’d been dumping stuff in there for ages and it was pretty messy.  For another, there were a lot of files and piles of papers going back years.  So, a while ago, I had a big sorting out and chucking out session, but this didn’t get halfway through the job.  In the last week or two, I’ve been tackling the bookshelves.  There are two of them, each about seven foot long by more than five foot high – haven’t measured, but they’re taller than I am and they’re wider than they are tall.  Each is seven shelves high, not including the top, and four compartments wide and they hold about 15-18 books, depending on their size.  In emptying them (there were more files as well as books), I’ve found a number of interesting things – and noted books for reading or re-reading.  All the same, though I’ve had a good wheelbarrowful of papers to burn and a bin bag of rubbish to discard, there hasn’t been much to show for it.  And stuff to go through properly later has been put on one side, so the room is messier now than when I started.

But after another hour and a half of this, this morning, I was ready to stand down from work for the rest of the day.  So LT and I went out for lunch.  And then we sowed some peas and some radishes and came in for tea.  We did the Guardian sudoku, which was surprisingly difficult, and I’ve been doing The Times fiendish one, which so far has proved impossible, though I’ll master it yet.  And Tim cooked dinner and all I had to do was light the fire.  And I’ve relaxed.  And it’s actually rather lovely and I don’t care if it’s lazy.

Young Stevo has got a job/apprenticeship, so isn’t available to help much any more, though he’s promised to when he can.  But his friend Shem is coming along instead.  He’s a nice lad and is willing, we’re getting along fine so far.

10 comments on “Z gets dusty and winds down

  1. allotmentqueen

    Good. I’m glad he will have a skill. We had a rather nasty run-in this week with a guy who’d come to shovel concrete who accused us of being racist because we asked his mate to move his van which was parked on our property. Neither of us had considered the colour of his skin (which was probably 7 parts white anyway) but it just proved that his sole ability was his ability to shovel concrete. Having two building projects going on around us currently, we reflected on the difference between skilled labour (chippies, bricklayers, etc) and decidedly non-skilled labour (shovelling concrete). So I’m really glad that Stevo will be learning a skill which will put in good stead in the future. Good for him!

    Reply
    1. Z Post author

      It reminds me of “patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel” – an accusation of racism in such a situation is intended to wrong-foot someone,from someone who is entirely in the wrong him or herself. Stevo is keen to do well and learn, and is prepared to work hard. I think a lot of him and he’s been a great help to me.

      Reply
      1. allotmentqueen

        Well should I need a tiler, I will definitely think of him. Although I think distance may be a problem. But I’m really pleased that he has a career mapped out and I really hopes he makes a go of it.

        Reply
  2. MOTB

    Times fiendish Sudoku – I find that if I get stuck, leaving it for a bit helps. When I come back to it my brain /eye often spots something I’d missed before.

    Reply
    1. Z Post author

      Well, the day before, I did the Super Fiendish quicker than either Fiendish or Difficult. And yes, one often spots the obvious after a break!

      Lovely to hear from you again, I hope all’s well in your family xx

      Reply

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