Snatching frustration from the jaws of victory

One of those days that makes you question what the hell you are doing with your life. Keith and I had a reasonable amount to do today to finish the job we were working on. Instead Keith went into one of his black self sabotaging moods, raging about computer glitches, suddenly logging off and disappearing an interlude he filled by smashing one of his favourite mugs, which got all over his clothes and he had to wash them and the floor and so on, and generally finding ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. All highly annoying and stressful as the time ebbed away. Needless to say we managed to pull the rabbit out of the hat in the end.  As this was happening I also received a poetry rejection on some work I was quite hopeful for. But more happily had a momentary chat with Mum to confirm I would come on Thursday.

Once work was done for the day, and this particular job over, I brooded philosophically for a bit. But later,  I walked around the corner to Rick around the corner's house and he drove us off to the Elizabethan Cottage for Indian food. His car has an automatic park function which is quite impressive, although there was a fair stride from the pavement when we got out. Good to see Ben looking slim and cheery. Bless him he shared a bit of his poppadom with me because he knows how much I like them. He is doing well, and there has even been a whiff of romance in the air with a possessor of XX chromosomes.  He is also learning more about esoteric and psychological stuff too. Rick on good form and said he was off to see lots of friends soon -- all widows. Food decent in the Elizabethan and the irritations of the day began to abate, washed away with lager and curry.

News that the health secretary and chancellor of the exchequer both located their spines today and resigned began to emerge at tea time. Perhaps that evil clown Johnson will soon be gone.

Rick drove me home, I arrived just as Lorraine was arriving after her last full governors meeting. She was zonked out. The meeting had praised her though, and there is an article in the parish magazine praising her work in the school written by nice Sarah Harvey. Sadly the surprise had been lost as the local vicar had told Lorraine about it when we were at the Village open day. Late in the evening Sam arrived from Scotland this evening, collecting his passport and then turning around to go on holiday to Minorca and stay at his best pal's place.  

Below a snap from a short pre-work stroll, me (looking porcine) Ben and Rick around the corner. And a nice effect from scratched plastic in the restaurant.