I order curry for one, veg dhansak, sag aloo, plain rice and 2 plain naan, put my plate to warm on the wood burning stove top, lit already. It's chilly in this old building and I love the sound of the logs crackling and the flames humming and the smell too. I settle down to catch up on Doctor Who, love Matt Smith, who doesn't? Ready to relax for the evening, Beauty one side and Max on my lap purring away, where the other one is I’ll never know, he's outdoorsy like me, I love my life.
Bloody phone!
LC: “Babes, how’s the training going?” She’s all about winning.
I’m hungry.
TC: “Fine Liza, the boys are fit and ready to go” I just like the speed and to have fun.
Curry. Did they say twenty minutes on the phone?
LC: “My trainer is working me very hard” I bet he is.
TC: “Your good looking, tall blonde trainer-man in tight breeches who’s improving your flying change?” How she can concentrate just demonstrates how much she wants to win.
LC: “Do you have a point?” Always.
TC: “Unnecessary” but that doesn’t stop me.
LC: “And you, still single?” Here we go.
TC: “It’s like a disease” just like my Mother, everyone wants me to have a boyfriend, wrapped up in nice neat little packages of life. But life isn't neat is it?
LC: “Just don’t tell me you don’t have the time” broken record.
TC: “I don’t have the time” broken record, but it's true.
LC: “See you then Lx” count on it.
Note to self, put diesel in the lorry.
Oh, good! Curry's here!
Chapter two, Monday:21ndoctober2013, the beginning part. Please pay attention, this part is before the above chapters!
5.30am looks like intense blue-black with a handful of stars thrown carelessly into the sky, not scattered evenly, but making a denser trail across the darkness, to nothing at the extremities. I think, the stars wouldn't shine without the darkness, now where did I hear that? Winter is coming. The boys are ready for their breakfasts and I feed them in the field. Watch the moon as it reflects just enough light around that I don't really need my head torch. It's an eerie silvery kind of still light, which gets everywhere. As I move around the yard with my 'Quickie' broom imported from the states, I ache. My side hurts as I twist and I am stiff all down my left side. I came second in my class, so it was worth it...or was it? George performed brilliantly, as we finished the jump-off faster by seven seconds than the next rider, he excitedly threw a massive buck... Described it later as a captain caveman moment, and I fell. Or rather was propelled unceremoniously into a horsebox on my side (not my horsebox happily). Luckily it happened outside the ring, and the blue rosette is ours. I hang it proudly from my horsebox window. I refill their hay bars, the hay smells wonderfully sweet, and say "have a great day babes." One day they'll answer me won't they?
Back in the warmth of the cottage, I rush around as usual to get myself ready for work. After a quick shower, I dress in a black jersey sheath dress, its tight pencil shape skirt to my calf, long tight black boots and an old Portobello find my army parka. A huge khaki twill cocoon with double hood lined in fleece, big deep pockets everywhere, inside and out, drawstring waist adjustment and a fishtail dropped-hem. Which of course I’d washed in Dettol several times before I wore it, I’m really not keen on 'vintage' second hand things unless I’m certain they are clean, a trait I got from my Grandma.
The cats and horses come first always, I don't eat breakfast as usual, down a cup of dark tea, grab my Burberry soft as butter leather handbag, and head out to my car. Drive to my space at the station, park my old bashed up and draughty black Landrover 90 defender in my allotted space and just make it onto the train in time. I put my 'cyber-man' Bose headphones on, click the end into my iPhone, and Stone Sour thrashes happily inside my head, it's good, I love loud music, it stops me over thinking things, which I tend to do. The loud music, overpowers the endless chattering, leaves me quiet up there, so I can think.
My phone interrupts the noise, breaking through the thrashing with 'Bring Me Sunshine'. Bloodygoddamit!