On leaving it too late ...

You could say I left everything a bit too late today. I was too late getting up, though at the time it felt the only way to be, having another wee shut-eye until I'd thought myself into wakefulness and there was at least some light in the sky. (You know the way - you're relaxed, dozing, and an unbidden thought slips into your awareness and suddenly you're thinking and adrenaline starts to flow and sleep is forgotten?)

But yes, I was late hanging out a washing in a morning suddenly looking dry and a bit sunny. I was late clearing away my breakfast: it was time for coffee before I'd finished cleaning the sink. Then, however, the two of us settled down to deal with one of the things that had niggled me out of dozing: the arrangements that are our responsibility as opposed to the travel agent's for our forthcoming holiday: choosing seats on aircraft; working out if what we'd printed was an e-ticket or merely information; reserving a hotel room at Glasgow for our late arrival home. By the time we'd finished it was 2pm and we'd not had lunch - but it was satisfying to get it done. 

Over lunch I read how we've become a nation of snackers; apparently our sitting down to eat something three times a day is terribly last century even if all we're having is an egg. And besides, I became so used to sitting in an easy chair catching up on the papers while eating a sandwich during the years when I was working only 5 minutes' drive from home that I can't bear to change the habit, even after the best part of 20 years.

My photo was taken at the apex of my having left it too late. By the time we got out the clouds had crowded the sky again, there was a suggestion of rain chez nous that had turned to a definite statement by the time we reached the old road where we wanted to walk. We got precisely 0.8 of a mile along the road when we came to the place that always used to flood - and it had done so with a vengeance. The wood was flooded, the road was deep enough to flow over the top of my trainers - waterproof, but not high-topped - and we retreated, completing our distance on another path. By the time we finished it was dark. Clearly too late.

Tomorrow I have to go shopping properly - managed to stave it off last week by a visit to Sainsbury's and then living off Christmas. Tomorrow I have to be up early and have my wits about me. Tomorrow I have to deal with the Magi and their camel. I must not leave anything too late.