yonmei

08:49 pm: Blue sofas and sleepless Hawkeyes
I built a flatpack sofa today! Be impressed: I am.

I'd hoped it would be delivered first thing this morning, but I was the last person on their round, so after a morning during which I built a bookcase, shelved some more books, fanzines, videotapes, and CDs, and did the washing-up, about half past twelve they showed with a big flatpack sofa (living-room, thank you) and a small flatpack chair (to go in the study, so once I'd confirmed I could lift it, it went in the lodger's room: no point lugging it upstairs when the study is all to be cleared out).

I'd forgotten to have cash to hand, so they gave me a lift to the nearest cash machine and afterwards I walked over to Tescos to buy a rucksack full of essentials. Then it seemed like too nice a day to rush back, so I stopped at the Italian cafe near Tescos and had a macchiato and a surreptitious chocolate biscuit that had been lurking in my rucksack pocket since yesterday. I must learn how to make macchiatos: the key is not adding too much foamed milk to the espresso. Meantime, I keep ordering them to learn how. Anyway, that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

Walked back along by the Water of Leith: I've been coming this way mostly late evenings, after work, when it's getting on for dusk, and there is no light along large sections of the river walk - so I have been going by road. But in daylight, it's a nice walk - worth remembering even just to Tesco and back.

Atropos arrived not an hour later, and helped me build the sofa. I couldn't have done it without her - there were several times when a third hand was convenient, and when screwing on the arms of the sofa, it was essential. Even with the two of us, it took three hours - but it was worth it. It is a beautiful sofa, comfy and convenient. I can sprawl on it and watch TV: and it's a satisfactory double bed when one's wanted.

Atropos had to leave at six, and I put beans, garlic, onions, rosemary, coriander, and veg stock into the slow cooker for soup (a first try-out of my new slow cooker - bought from Scotmid...) I made myself baked beans on toast. Ate it watching M*A*S*H. Hawkeye doesn't sleep for 72 hours and wants to send the officer's latrine to North Korea. He's cute when he's tired. No Father Malcahy, however, but a couple of very obvious Hawkeye-is-bi-and-everyone-knows-it moments.

It was nice to see Atropos, though next time I hope we'll just be able to sit around and talk, not have me sprawled at her feet with my nose in her boots. Ahem. I was screwing in the arms of the sofa, you evil-minded people, you. Er. Perhaps you should let me rephrase that...

Or perhaps I should just go to sleep.

Good grief: though tired, it's only nine pm. No. I will build another bookcase. I cannot go to sleep before 10: the sky would fall.

*yawn*

Goodnight.

PS: Vicente Maynard