There are theories about different types of people. There are larks and night owls. Larks get up early, bright and perky. I am a lark, on the whole. My father was a lark. We larks are very annoying, or so I am told, especially to owls, who are sleepy and blinking in the morning. Owls stay up late into the night. My husband is an owl and always has been. He did his best studying at university after midnight. Strictly speaking we are incompatible. Sometimes this lark has adapted to owldom, staying up late to watch TV programmes. It’s amazing how many denouements of detective stories I have missed by dozing off in front of the TV set. Owls find it hard to get up early in the morning, despite admonishments about missing the best part of the day.
Since the clocks went back and the sun sets a lot earlier than it used to, making the actual day a whole lot shorter, my night owl has taken a decision. He wants to see more of the day, make better use of daylight hours, especially if we happen to have some sunshine and have the chance of absorbing some apparently much needed vitamin D. So he has been making a determined effort and setting his alarm a little earlier each day.
For a good while now, our day has followed a pattern: I get up earlyish and go for a run; I wake my night owl on my return and he comes to consciousness gradually while I shower; finally we have a latish breakfast. The new regime has meant that he has got round to being up and about when I return from my run. We have joked that if he continues to get up a little earlier each day eventually he will be getting up before he goes to bed. Of course, getting up earlier means he has to go to be earlier as well.
Last night, though, he had a setback. Somewhere between 2.30 and 3.00 in the morning I woke up and realised he was only just about to retire to bed. He had been delayed by watching results come in from the US elections. Once you start to watch that sort of thing it becomes addictive. And it was also becoming depressing as crazy Trump supporters had turned out to vote for him and he was doing better than predicted. It’s a wonder my night owl got to sleep at all.
So the early rising went by the board somewhat this morning. It’s a good job tomorrow is another day!
By the time I got up this morning Biden had clawed back some of that small-hours-of-the-morning Trump lead. Biden seemed now to be in the lead but not by enough to feel secure. There is still everything to play for. And Trump is playing, saying that there should be a cut-off point beyond which votes will not be counted. So much for democracy!
On a more cheerful not, today is a beautiful crisp day. The sky is blue and the sun is shining. But it is very cold - finger- and toe-freezing cold! My cycle ride to Uppermill market was chilly but pleasant, although there was so much traffic going through the lower part of Dobcross during my return journey that I ended up pushing my laden bike along the pavement, which proved faster and undoubtedly safer than trying to weave along between parked cars and white vans.
There is some doubt about whether the market be able to open next week. Non-essential shops have to close because of the new shutdown. Now I can understand that the stall that sells slippers will not be able to be there. (Although people will perhaps need more slippers than ever if they have to stay indoors!) The flower and plant seller is in a bit of a grey area - after all, garden centres are allowed to remain open. However, you would have thought that the cheese and biscuit stall, the fruit and veg stall and the fishman could set up chap again next week. But there was a chap with a clipboard going round chatting to stall holders, warning them of a possible closure.
How silly!
So I bought extra fish, some of it to go into the freezer, just in case there is no fishman next week. The delicatessen, a shop rather than a stall, will remain open, they assure me. Olives, sun-dried tomatoes, jars of harissa paste, florentine biscuits and other such delicacies are clearly essential items!
On the radio they have been talking to people who have discovered the delights of craft projects ... knitting, crochet, quilting, all sorts of craft work. Suppliers of craft materials are having a small boom. Lots of people are planning to make Christmas presents by hand this year. So for years I have obviously been ahead of the trend as I have always included some hand-made gifts in my gifts to family and friends.
The 1.00pm news tells me that the US election results might not be through for a few days yet. It’s probably harder to count to votes this year as the turnout had been so high. Oh, boy!
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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