Four hour’s drive up here to Chinley, with the last hour mostly beautiful.
On the way up I drove past a huge great big retail complex. I was getting head-droppy and figured there’d be coffee. I also stopped into Markyparky for a fish pie. “What town am I in?” I asked the lady at the counter. “Chesterfield.”
My toe hurts less. My jaw hurts less. I’m here now and it is still and peaceful, with occasional small trains.
There’s a dependent cat. She reminds me of Carlos. She was on my lap earlier. She likely will sleep on my bed. She likes human company so if I’m not here she’ll probably go sleep with a neighbour.
There are two guinea pigs. I have very limited experience of the creatures. Charles had some in the garden at Avranches growing up, but a fox took them and we learnt never to speak of such things going forwards. I picked these ones up and moved them to their hutch. One of them squeaked at me the whole way, the other one just enjoyed the ride. I’ve given them celery and hay. I think they just eat and sleep and poo. I think that’s their jam. That’s all folks. Eat sleep poo repeat.
They’re safely stowed for the night and tomorrow I’ll put them back in their run in the morning. I just chopped up some apple for them. Their appetite seems to be boundless so they’ll be the bulk of my work, they love that lettuce. Likely we’ll get to know each other, these fluffy things and I. They’re just like big hamsters. I had a hamster once as a child and it definitely wasn’t killed by a rat, it escaped by pulling a hole into the cage through the bars, mum told me.
There’s still grass here on the lawns and it’s mostly green. That’s the advantage of being high up and further north perhaps. Most of this country is so arid this summer of drought. Lucky guinea pigs here – that they can still run on green grass.
It’s 8pm. I’ve had a fish pie. Feels like that’s all that’s left on the list for today. My bed is at the top of the house. It’s much cooler than London so I’ll be happy there, surrounded by big posters of my friend performing.
Likely I’ll just stop and rest now. It’s what I need, what my body is shouting about.
