Leaving England.

And I am already missing quality time with Lola. Yesterday, between gardening chores and restfulness, I cuddled, tickled and blew raspberries on her belly many many times. Once I had eaten my late lunch, after returning from the allotment, (and after I'd gone for a brief snooze) up she came nuzzling me for another walk.

She's got a body language all her own. I can read when she's jealous, peeved, disgruntled etc, which I know she has been since I 'willing' dog sat for Archie for 36 days... I've been unable to give her undivided dedication, but she will always have my true loyalty.

Still a little frosty around the edges this morning. I awoke on the dot of 5:30, however, but my body is still attempting to recover from the improbable Sunday with Mark. But I am one whole day away from that and, as I plan to walk out of Beauvais tomorrow, tonight will be a quiet evening at the Gîtes.

Yesterday Lola was making the doggy equivalent of a purring noise when she appears to sigh heavily from her nostrils: there is no other love in my life!

***

To start to improve my mental health. Tuesday 6th September, when all the school children return to their various places of learning to conform to the societal norms: the good old social charter, I leave on a jet plane: Ryanair are all the same(literally). For a good 6 weeks I've fretted and overthought everything which comes into my head as a result of something which occurs only in small towns. Finally I can understand how a soap opera can be a justifiable representation of one street! I used to think it was silly all the crap which goes on on them, or in the square or in a village: Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale are a form of truth and it's why I dislike them as much as I do Wetherby...

***

Just a few minutes until I head up to Emma's to collect Merry Legs for a final walk and cuddle with Lola. Things are clicking into place. I can catch a bus between Beauvais and Compiègne and stay at the Gîtes d'Etape there on Saint Lazare Street and then head to the north of Paris via Senlis and Chantilly. A part of me is saying to head there this evening rather than stay in Beauvais at all... I'd have to reach out to the Compiègne Amis Saint Jacques...

The world we live in is driven by meaningless consumption and it's a replacement for something real. Like Nietzsche said 'God is dead and we killed him'. When the modern world opened up in the industrial revolution something mindless took over.

***

I forgot that I have an insurance payment due at some point. That will pay for the last two purchases. The month old Grisport shoesvi bought specially for dog sitting duties wore through on the ankle on the lining of the Goretex and the underneath so I got a credit note and a reduced pair of sandals. I will need to get a pair of shoes or boots to compensate, although last time I managed with a pair of socks, shorts and sandals. These are Rieker. Let's see how they fair? I absolutely must get another pair of proper walking boots: perhaps this trip to France I get a brand of theirs which is built for the Armed forces? Not something from Decathlon or InterSport.