There’s a blow heater in my room. It’s essentially a great big wall mounted air con unit and I remember from previous tours that there is only so much control that Fairfield Marriot lets its customers have over their own heating/cooling. In summer I switch the thing off but it goes on of its own accord at 7am and generally just ignores what you ask it. You have to get out of bed and shut it down again.
When it’s running it sounds like a jet engine taking off. I hate it. But if you ask it for maximum heat, the one in my room keeps things at body temperature or thereabouts. So I put it on maximum every day before I go rehearse. I come back and my room is tepid after a day of noisy fuss. And I switch the fucking thing off because I need to sleep. Thus I wake up at 4am absolutely freezing cold because the duvet covers are made out of albumen and there’s no blanket.
I would have brought the quilt Lou patched me, but luggage allowance makes it impossible. So I’ve asked them for extra blankets. I did the same in Tabuk for the same reason and I got a blanket. Here today I just got some extra egg whites. They’ll do. Put three of them together and it is like a real duvet cover.
Bedtime. It was Scott’s birthday today bless his heart. He’s a gorgeous man. He’s made so much possible for so many for so long. There are some golden figures I’ve brushed with in this unusual life. Ros from Scene and Heard is one. Scott is another. Who could replace him?
He was here with us today as we worked through moments. He brought in all sorts of insightful and bright flashes of clarity and detail and world building. Having his eye on us this week is a great privilege.
The snow is heavy on the ground. Red squirrels and bright light and cold. Shelves of snow falling from bare trees. Birdsong. The beeping of snow ploughs. Slush on the pavements.
We went to “Jesus” and Deb picked up a company meal. Peruvian fusion in an old church just down in Mishawaka. I had surf and turf. Now I’m back in Eddie Street Commons and it is time for bed. We are still a bit jetlagged, we get tired and addled late at night. My body knows it is 3am. It’ll adjust, after all I was in this time zone right until just before I was born when mum flew back on purpose as she didn’t want me born here. Maybe she could see what was coming.
AlBarclay 