Alex Murtough

The last third of my Friday was lovely. The first third had mainly been sleep (also lovely), but the middle third had mainly been working from home. Which was a little less lovely than lovely. Even if this does goes against all accepted Goldilocks-induced wisdom that things in the middle are always just right.

Well, Goldilocks clearly hadn't spoken to Ms E. Which is what I did after my last bits of work were tidied up (/forgotten until Monday). I called to firm up Ms E's shopping list and we ended up chatting for a good half hour. It was wonderful. Sometimes people say the art of conversation is being interesting - but I think it's all about being interested. And Ms E spoke about so many different and interesting things, but also wanted to know about me - it's lovely to feel listened to and heard - a little tonic all of us need.

And so I made the short hop and skip to Lewisham a little buoyant for a dark winter evening, and even the dooms and glooms of the radio news filling my headphones didn't lower me. At Tesco, I even had a conversation with a lady about whether I was 'bloody freezing' in my shorts. Wonderful.

Following my short jaunt around the shops, I popped over to Ms E's to leave her essentials on the doorstep, ready and waiting for her nurse to take them in when they arrived. A little call to Ms E (although sadly I could only get through to her voicemail) to let her know and I was off back to Greenwich. Still springy in step from having spent a few happy minutes with Ms E earlier.

Nice one.

A very belated report for a very lovely mission. It seems I've started the year a little too busy and far too disorganised...

A cold afternoon, I took a hop and a skip over from Greenwich to the Tesco at Surrey Quays to grab the essentials Ms S was after. And this was after I'd had a very lovely chat with Ms S over the phone to get her shopping list - she placed a smile on my lips to brighten the early January malaise.

Ms S is wonderful and it was a joy to spend the afternoon of the second day of the year doing a little shopping for her.

Nice one.

I am writing this on the eve before Christmas and so will keep this short. The Christmas pud is yet to be cooked and presents remain a little naked and unwrapped (although to confirm, they're not people).

This morning was a morning spent with the larks. And a joy it was. I passed through Greenwich, Deptford, and Bermondsey, with each place getting steadily brighter as the sun started its Christmas Eve hello. By the time I got to Tower Bridge, the oranges were taking presence over the dark blues and blacks, and then it was a sun-filled jaunt up through the City and over to Hoxton.

A simple and quiet task, Mr A simply needed a little pre-Christmas food. With the shops quiet (and most of East London taking a well-earned lie-in), I was done and over to Mr A's in swift business.

Nice one.

I am writing this on the eve before Christmas and so will keep this short. The Christmas pud is yet to be cooked and presents remain a little naked and unwrapped (although to confirm, they're not people).

Tuesday afternoon was lovely. The jaunt from Greenwich to Downham was meditative - a much needed flush of endorphins to fight off the grey-cloud-induced melancholy.

And the task was simple - Ms M had some wonderful baby clothes and handmade dolls for posting. After a swift hop and skip over to the post office (which was in full festive flow - with the most amazing Nutcracker card, please see photo...) I was shortly back on the long walk home.

Nice one.