Off on my jollies

Sunday scaries be gone!

You may have been wondering where I’ve been for the past week. Surviving a heatwave, mainly, whilst travelling across two countries. Lugging my big suitcase about in 38 degree heat, which has developed a squeaky wheel since I last used it. It’s a tad embarrassing to be squealing along a Parisian street to the metro station at five o’clock in the morning, but I have to get it around somehow.

Today I am waiting for the rain to stop. You might think that I don’t want it to rain, when really I do, but rain means being banished to staying indoors. Finally it eased off enough to allow us to walk around the village and look at the scenery. We peeked at all the empty houses and I pondered packing it all in just to move to rural Brittany. Then the light mist became something heavier and we ventured back before we got drenched.

The train journey over was quite pleasant. It was my first time going on the Eurostar. Luckily it had air con. We braved the heat of the tube (furnance) and the metro (slightly less of a furnance). That night I sat up in bed with my chin resting on my knees, the window wide open, watching the traffic speed past into the early hours — my partner sprawled out, lightly dozing, next to me. The heat didn’t allow me to sleep that night, nor the next.

After pacing through metro stations to get to the Gare, my case screeching triumphantly at my heels, I boarded my first ever double-decker train. I watched the French countryside speed past faster than my eyes could keep up with for a few hours. I can safely say that I have now had my fill of staring out of a window. What more could a girl want, after all?

I am now an hour ahead of everyone back home. I relish all of the minutes that I get to experience in this advanced state. I see the sunset an hour before it reaches them each evening. I am eating my breakfast an hour before they’re even blinking their eyes open in the morning.

My days have changed. Gone is my 8-4 routine, replaced by some much-needed R&R. I’m doing all that I can to keep the thought of having to go home out of my mind, which isn’t too difficult as it’s so far away anyway. Everything is so quiet — this is truly my happy place.

I don’t have to worry about going to work tomorrow. My biggest responsibility is whether to have a croissant or pain au chocolat for breakfast. Tonight I will sleep a peaceful slumber, resting easy knowing that I have another week of calm ahead of me. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring and, for once, that thought relaxes me. Every second of my time is taken at my own pace, on my own terms. I hope that I can carry that sentiment home with me when the time comes.

---

I used to put these little captions on every post, which only true Ellenheads will remember.

A more journal-like piece from me this week, as I’ve not really had the time or energy to sit down properly to write. The heat has been dreadful to deal with and has me seriously debating buying a portable air conditioner.

I can feel my creativity coming back now that I’ve not been at work, slowly but surely. I finished a book this week, the first I’ve read in two weeks, Julia by Sandra Newman. I really recommend it for fans of 1984, though it was a harrowing read during some parts. I have my copy of Medium Raw with me which I’d like to get through, along with several ebooks. Then there’s the 50 or so posts on here that I’ve yet to catch up with.

I wish you all well and hope that the summer has been enjoyable so far. I hope to keep writing, to keep making memories, to keep living life well and how I see fit. You should too.

Until next time,

Ellen <3