Back on the 07.30. Sbeen a while. E5 booked but moved to E2 as the table is full and this first row is more comfortable and secluded. I try to avoid the 07.30 as it means getting up far too early but I have a board meeting in London at 10am so here I am. THG dropped me off and has now gone to the pool to continue her training. Worrawoman.
Brain is still somewhat frazzled. Will be another early night after the Christmas lunch (1 – 5pm). How early remains to be seen. CCUK always used to hold their lunch before trefbash and everyone would rock to the party up already paralytic. I couldn’t do that, what with responsibilities an all so I haven’t been for perhaps ten years. Looking forward to it especially as our Hannah will be there, being in the same line of business.
I have ordered a bacon roll with brown sauce and butter and my cup of tea has arrived. I may be slightly more compos mentis after that.
My phone, laptop and headphones are fully charged. I may not need to charge them again before I get home tomorrow lunchtime but probably will. Seehowitgoze. I also brought a book with me. Life and Tradition in Rural Wales by J. Geraint Jenkins. Read it before but it is v good, if yer interested in that sort of thing.
As the train speeds towards Newark, dawn pokes its nose through the trees that line the track. Up before dawn. The trees are really just overgrown saplings. No forest here. Tractor ruts gleam with low lying water in the fields we pass by.
One of the catering crew has just made an announcement. Unfortunately due to a power problem there are no catering facilities in standard class. However the free drinks and breakfast service in first class is unaffected. How to run their noses in it. It annoys me when I plan to have breakfast on the train but no breakfast is forthcoming. Once I joined the southbound Edinburgh service at Newark Northgate planning to have a full English. However the buggers travelling from Edinburgh had eaten it all. The steward said all they had left was a bit of toast which I grudgingly ordered only to find, when he checked, that that too had gone.
I mentioned that the train was speeding. Bit of artistic license involved there. It doesn’t speed between Lincoln and Newark but trundles along at a relatively sedate pace. I have normally finished breakfast by the time we get to Newark which is the case today. The carriage filled up a little at Newark but not enough to suggest there could be demand for the empty seat next to me. We are still at the platform but I am now on my second cup of tea (soz standard class peeps)
You will all want to know that I’m wearing my Christmas themed Tommy Bahama Hawaiian shirt today. Bought it in a Macys sale somewhere in Florida some years ago (you wouldn’t catch me going there nowadays). Not worn it much as it never seemed appropriate for the time of year one normally wears Hawaiian shirts. Especially when I have so many to choose from. I’ve never counted but it must be over twenty. I had seven made in one go at a tailors shop in Shanghai once. All Tommy Bahama copies with my own choice of material. The only problem with having shirts made in the far east is that the material is usually very light. Perfect if you live in a hot climate but no so much for the UK. I’m not complaining.
Anyway I’m gonna leave you for now. I have a book to read.