The Repose

Solitude is mine once more. The school holidays have taken the family to England and so I've been deserted. Of course that's a gross exaggeration but there's no one here to rein me in.

I took the girls to school for 8.30am. They told me when I picked them up three hours later that there was only a handful of children in school. So they stayed in their classroom and played.

Well there's lip service to the end of term and there's just stupid posturing.

But since I took them away to America back in October for 10 days to see their great grand father, I feel it's only right to have them there right until the end of term.

We phoned him in Jamaica today as he was 91 on Friday. We all wished him a happy birthday and he seemed pleased. Even his two year old great grand son managed to join in with a few murmurs.

It was quite moving.

And just as I was getting used to the raking sounds of my children, they've gone. And all I've got is the ticking of my mind.

I'm not yet sure if that is a boon. But what is undoubted is the unlimited access to my video and DVD collection. There's no need to share the TV screen.

This is almost too much. Where do I start? Quality time with me, myself and I.

Perhaps the four Die Hard films. I was going to take those to Ghana but opted for the Matrix trilogy and Star Wars.

I was a tad disappointed with the Matrix. I didn't remember how number three ended so it was something of a surprise. But I still felt let down for some reason. Maybe it was the heat outside.

Nearly a week back in Paris. Ghana does seem so far away. But while I'm taking the malaria tablets, I still feel slightly exotic.