8TH JULY

We got back to Edinburgh on Tuesday evening after a holiday that had been much anticipated and was much enjoyed and now we're easing back into being at home with the usual post-holiday routines; going to work, doing endless washing of clothes only worn for those few short sunny weeks each year, cooking, trying to get my fill of the short Scottish berry season.

For me, being back at home also now means Fridays spent at home or, more importantly, Fridays spent away from work.

It's something I first thought of over a year ago and, in my usual way, debated on and off for the months that followed but only felt ready to take the plunge on after our holiday in Copenhagen earlier this year. I've struggled with it in some ways. That full-time work means five days a week, and, that if you can, you work full-time because, well, why wouldn't you, is so ingrained in our idea of what work is. But, the idea of one day a week just for me, for being quiet, or for making, or writing, or cooking, sounded like it would be good for me, something I could do that would be positive rather than feeling like a passive observer of a working life that I wasn't able to muster much enthusiasm for. 

So, here I am, and so far today has included some very important catching up on the last two episodes of Game of Thrones, one of those loads of holiday washing, a little tidying up, writing some emails, baking a cake, and finally writing this, the first thing that actually feels like I'm writing in quite some time, something that I hope will be a feature of more weeks in future.