So here we are thinking of the plus side

For ten days now, gorgeous chook has gone and been in Thailand for his annual three month go-visit-mum-and-work-the-other-side-of-the-world trip. This has given me the chance to repossess the flat and get down to some serious work of my own. Despite the practical arrangements, I do miss him a lot but rather than mope I thought I would draw up a short list of things that are GOOD about being alone.

* Repossessing the bed. For gluttons like me who like nothing better than toast covered in stinking marmite as a last thing at night or first thing in the morning snack, eating toast in bed again is definite highlight. Crumbs and butter are welcome wherever I am but obviously it's not something I can impose on my already suffering bedpartner (I am a nightmare, talker, snorer, teeth grinder move around, hog the covers, you name it). On similar lines it's a luxury to have four pillows to myself and being allowed to sleep diagonally is terrific. I also love sleeping with junk, and now that chook is away i can do that no probs. A quick count reveals that in bed with me last nght I had: 5 pillows, a mobile phone, 2 shirts, a t shirt a hardback book, a paperback book, a bottle of water, a necklace, a magazine, a newspaper, two pens, a highlighter, 70 pages of photocopied stuff, a notepad, various hair accessories and a lighter. Before you ask, yes I do sleep well, I love being surrounded by my stuff.

* Padding around looking like an escaped convict. I must perhaps stress that I am not a (particular) slob deep down, but I have little time to do a lot of work so certain priorities have to be recalculated. Such as general attractiveness. No time for long showers, colour coordination, brushed hair or makeup, I get dressed because I go down everyday for coffee, but that's about it. My neighbours see me go through this every year so they are no longer shocked by my appearance which is great and allows me to reach new realms of slobbishness both in and out of the house.

*Eating crap without shame. Chook is also a connaisseur of junk food and we regularly stuff ourselves stupid together, but there is something so embarassing about eating mayonnaise with a spoon, huge tubs of ice-cream with melted chocolate and tons of little savoury biscuits as a main meal that I tend not to do it (too much) when he is around. And no, amazingly I am not putting on weight.

* Gossiping and bitching. It's a shame I have so little time to see people these days because absence of the loved one allows for round the clock non stop gossiping and bitching when people come round. Not stuff about him behind his back of course, more girly (though boys are good at this too) "oooh, she looks shit and they broke up and he's a dick and did you know..." kind of conversations. No need to pretend to be a nice person you see.

* And finally... a bit of free time. Not that being with chook is a full time job, but to come back with a new pot of mayo, kick of the shoes, pour a drink, get a spoon and chill with a book for a couple of hours without having to say anything is blissful. Ditto for bedtime. I've always loved going to bed really early to get a good two or three hours reading in before I crash. Chook likes to go to bed pretty late and I usually go with him, as tends to happen in couples. Now, I can be in bed at eight if I like and crash whenever. More generally I can do what I like when I think of it, without the slightest regard for anyone else.

But hey, this is pretty short list and if ever I did one of the stuff I miss (no worries, I won't) it would stretch for a while. Basically, i just miss him and the stuff we get up to every day, and miss not grabbing him and saying hey! wouldn't it be cool if.... I got just such a thought this morning, then remembered he wasn't about.
Well babe, here is something we must do when you get back...