Another shift to Hampstead through a glorious morning, but sad work. No landlord breathing over my shoulder so I could peacefully video-call my soon to be evicted friend on the other side of the world and show them the state of things. My friend is quite fastidious. We met collaborating and very quickly realised that our energies complement each other. I explode energy, she neatly puts things in place. Together we make neat explosions. But the flat in Hampstead has exploded a bit too much with just me there, but amazingly much of the horror isn’t my fault. Sure, I’m responsible for the fact that there are a few mugs in strange places, there’s a few piles of wiring and dismantled electric things, some laundry is hanging up on doors, there’s still perishables in the fridge. Time has been responsible for dust as the roomba hasn’t been running. Builders are responsible for mud on the carpet – there’s been a heavy footfall. The landlord is responsible for walls collapsing with damp, for an upside down table in the bedroom, a barbeque on the TV stand, a wardrobe full of paint pots, a half torn down picture, a metal chair in the bath, stinky carpets and a light that’s been broken from tampering. It’s like she’s been going there once a week and throwing things in all directions at random.
I’ve taken extensive videos. And I’ve rescued some of the things identified as precious by my friend. The two most precious things were a guitar and a box of letters. I have them in my flat now for safe keeping. There’s too much stuff in here anyway, so it can’t do any harm adding to it surely? How long they’ll remain, only time will tell. I thought I’d only have the snake a few months and he’s been with me over a year now. The thirteen year old cat? Maybe he’ll grow old with me. I’m terrifically glad of him. Ragdolls are a lovely breed and suit being house cats. His needs are uncomplicated and eloquent. Cuddles and food. Both on demand. It helps provide company in trying times. And he really is very fluffy indeed. The hoover clogs up immediately as all his hair wraps around the internal workings. He’s asleel to my left as I write. I should be as well. I switched the light on suddenly as I realised that I hadn’t written this yet.
I got taken in by pretty much all the April Fool articles today. I’m wide open. Might need to dial up my critical faculties in the light of the information war that is underway. I rang an old friend from college and we ended up ranting for about forty minutes. It’s an easy thing to do with all the uncertainty, to channel bits of rage. It has tired me out though. Night. X
AlBarclay 