It was a little bit before four in the morn that I woke up because I needed to go to the loo. It was cold and I was now regretting having had that late cuppa last night.

A few minutes later I was tucked back up in bed and thinking of the hours of sleep ahead of me, at least two maybe three. I have to get up early this morning and wash the bedding because the sun is set to shine for one day before the rains return and of course I have to get up and do all of this before Sissi’s mother gets up and claims the balcony and or washing machine.

Shortly after four I hear someone moving around, they are in the kitchen. The microwave is switched on and then I hear the clink of cutlery against a bowl. Light switches being switched on and off and then footsteps to the front door. Slippers kicked off and then the door is opened and closed. Who is going out at this time of the morn, maybe Sissi has decided to go off on one of her random adventures.

I’m up at 6:30am, a little bit later than I wanted. I stripped the bed and put on the washing machine then made breakfast. I love that first coffee in the morning, it does wonders for the body. Not only does it want to expel yesterday’s food but it is also helping to dislodge the phlegm that has been causing me to cough the last few days. The pollution has been bad and my throat has not been happy, it feels like I have a Klingon on my throat catching my breath and making me cough. The lump that was ejected from my mouth was large enough to give someone concussion if it happened to strike them on the noggin and so I instantly felt lighter.

The second load was on, breakfast was finished and still the house remained quiet. The machine told me that my sheets were ready to be hung over the balcony, so I hung them out and got ready to go to the park.

I feel lethargic today, could be the air quality or because my sleep was disturbed, but either way I’m home and I’m going for shower. It’s great to step into the shower but I have to make sure that I warm up my hands and feet before I step in because today the feel a little numb.

Sissi is up and she told me that her mother had gone out early this morning but she has no idea where, I said that she left just after 4 am. Her clothes are here and so is her toothbrush and the like so I guess she hasn’t gone home. The house is so quiet and there is a level of calm that I have not experienced for some time. I can’t relax because at any moment she will walk back through the door. Mind you as I look around I see that the plastic basins have been removed from the bathroom, she fills them each night with water and then uses this to flush the loo thinking that this is better for the environment by saving water…………….instead it only makes the toilet less efficient when you flush it as normal. The water level drops in the bowl and there seems to be an airlock created and so sometimes you end up having to flush twice.

I go for an early lunch with the intention of going to the old city today but after brunch I head home in the off chance that the house may be still empty and to my joy it is. There is no movement, it’s quiet and still and now the birds outside seem noisy………all is well in the world………….normality has returned.

Sissi comes home and she still hasn’t heard from her mother but rather than worry just yet I take the opportunity to read my book. The sun is shining and the balcony is beginning to warm up and it’s really very pleasant. I keep waiting for Sissi’s mother to come out to the washing machine or bring a bucket of water out or to just suddenly appear. There is a stillness in the house that I have not felt for weeks. Her mother can not just sit still and so the house is always in a flux, but today……..today is glorious and I am going to enjoy it the best I can.

And so after reading a few chapters, having more coffee and soaking up the sun and feeling warm from head to toe I have decided to write these thoughts for all to see. Sometimes the simple pleasures in life are all we need, it’s all we want sometimes and I have certainly enjoyed my quiet day at home.