Things you don't know you rely on til they're gone....
This week has been an enlightening one. I've had to survive without a few of life's luxuries and hadn't realised how much I relied on them until I didn't have them. Let me explain. Last Friday I lost my purse. Whether it dropped out my back pocket in the loos or I just left it on the bar in a rather tipsy state I have no idea, but luckily I got it back the next day with everything in it minus the cash. Unfortunately, I had diligently cancelled all my cards that night, which meant I had a purse full of useless plastic! My bank, being their usual useless selves, had not ordered replacements when I called on Monday morning so I have now gone 5 days with no cash and no cards whatsoever (and still no sign of the new ones). So, item number one I can't live without is my credit and debit cards. I have had no money to buy food, no money to go out, no money to top up my oyster card... good thing I had a fairly full freezer and a bike to get to work. I haven't even been able to transfer money online because even that requires me to insert my card into a chip and pin reader the bank sent me to get a passcode. Note to self, do NOT carry every card you own in one purse.
Item two, is running water. The road outside work seems to have been dug up for an age, and yesterday it became apparent that they were doing something related to pipes and the water supply. By lunch time there was no water coming from the taps. We couldn't make tea, get a drink of water, wash up (yeah like anyone in my office does that anyway.. the plates just pile up in the sink), or flush the toilet. Makes you really appreciate the virtues of modern plumbing, believe me.
The third and final thing is sleep. You really can't live without it. This morning, I woke up at 6:40. That's not so bad I hear you say. Yes it is, when you don't ACTUALLY have to get up until gone 8 and went to bed at 1am. Why anyone wants to play reggae and rap full blast before 9 in the morning baffles me. It wasn't even from a radio... it sounded like someone with a microphone, speakers and a bedroom mirror. LOUD. All the way in to work I was squinting from the sun because my eyes were so tired and sleep deprived they couldn't cope with the (what is usually glorious) morning light. Pre-coffee I feel better, but guaranteed by 3pm I will be slumped over my keyboard bashing the keys with one finger, the other hand propping my head up before it hits the desk...
So there you go. Three things I never really realised I cannot live without, until I didn't have them any more. Thank god my new cards arrived today, the water is (intermittently) running and I will hopefully get an early night tonight. Point three may be slightly scarce this weekend though, but this time wholly self inflicted due to the fact I shall be partying it up in Ibiza... so apologies for the lack of posts over the next few days, but even I'm not so addicted that I'll post from the party island in the sun (she says... watch this space!).
Item two, is running water. The road outside work seems to have been dug up for an age, and yesterday it became apparent that they were doing something related to pipes and the water supply. By lunch time there was no water coming from the taps. We couldn't make tea, get a drink of water, wash up (yeah like anyone in my office does that anyway.. the plates just pile up in the sink), or flush the toilet. Makes you really appreciate the virtues of modern plumbing, believe me.
The third and final thing is sleep. You really can't live without it. This morning, I woke up at 6:40. That's not so bad I hear you say. Yes it is, when you don't ACTUALLY have to get up until gone 8 and went to bed at 1am. Why anyone wants to play reggae and rap full blast before 9 in the morning baffles me. It wasn't even from a radio... it sounded like someone with a microphone, speakers and a bedroom mirror. LOUD. All the way in to work I was squinting from the sun because my eyes were so tired and sleep deprived they couldn't cope with the (what is usually glorious) morning light. Pre-coffee I feel better, but guaranteed by 3pm I will be slumped over my keyboard bashing the keys with one finger, the other hand propping my head up before it hits the desk...
So there you go. Three things I never really realised I cannot live without, until I didn't have them any more. Thank god my new cards arrived today, the water is (intermittently) running and I will hopefully get an early night tonight. Point three may be slightly scarce this weekend though, but this time wholly self inflicted due to the fact I shall be partying it up in Ibiza... so apologies for the lack of posts over the next few days, but even I'm not so addicted that I'll post from the party island in the sun (she says... watch this space!).
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