Early Riser

A couple of days ago, for the first time in months, it was almost dawn when I got up for work. In fact, apparently the sunrise tomorrow is at 6:46am. On the 9th March, I will be getting up exactly at sunrise and then after that, it will already be light when I wake up!

When we lived in York, I had the luxury of getting up at whatever time I liked. It was a short cycle to work, and flexible working hours. This was a luxury that I took full advantage of!

At that time, I was around some very respected and influential people who were early risers. They were people who seemed to be in the office and full of energy before everyone else in (my) world were awake. They were generally knocking off, having done a full day's work, about the same time that I was just getting my brain warmed up.

At one point, I began to wonder what was wrong with me! I really wanted to get up earlier. I could see all the practical reasons why I should! However, despite trying to convince myself that I was going to get early, when the alarm goes off I always re-convinced myself that going back to sleep was always more sensible.

When we moved further away from work, I did it with the full knowledge, slight excitement and a very real fear that the bus timetable is little lean, the only practical bus to work leaving at 7:30am. Would I be able to do it?

Looking back, the change was remarkably easy. When you don't have a choice (get up now, or don't go to work at all), you get up. And you soon get into a rhythm. It all seems similar to this approach to becoming an early riser. I am not sure that I would have had the motivation to do it without an external influence, but the principle is the same.

I am now an early riser and I wish I had done it years ago.

Good night.

Olive Ice

After protestations from Spanish people around the world when I planted an olive tree in our garden last year ("It won't grow in your cold English weather") I can confirm that not only did it survive the winter, but that it even produced a crop of olives in the autumn.

I admit that the olives were only the size of peas, but I didn't really expect to harvest any once I realised that you can't eat them off the tree - they take lots of preparation.

Insurance refund

It is a pity that I didn't take a photograph of our car. I can describe it however. It has two windows (off-side), a V-shaped roof and a rather odd-shaped front. Oh and apparently it was upside down.

The insurance company were very nice and gave us some money to buy a new car.

So, we bought a nice new car and updated the insurance policy so we could drive it.

The insurance premium actually went down. What a nice surprise.