It's just a purrfect day...

Well, now I don’t know what’s going on. My stray cat came home tonight covered in blood and not purring. God knows what happened to him earlier, but because cats can’t talk (especially in the state he’s in), I’ll probably never find out. This is a shame and a pity because I’d been having a very good day up until that point. I’d been sailing all afternoon in a special trophy competition and we won! The weather was magnificent – clear sunny skies and a very manageable breeze. It was a fabulously healthy way to spend a Sunday afternoon and exactly what I needed after the very identifiable stresses and strains of the previous week. I didn’t expect to win this competition so it was a particularly pleasant surprise that we did.

Then I was invited down to the Broadway to watch some films being shown as part of the Bang festival of short films (yes, it's true - the Broadway Cinema actually shows films as well as sells beer). That was a jolly event - spent with people I like - and it would have been the end to a perfect day until (that is) I came home and was followed into the flat by a tom cat mewing loudly and showing obvious signs of distress. It’ll take more than a saucer of milk to sort this one out, that’s for sure. I think I'll leave it until the morning.

What I’ve decided I need right now is a skiing holiday. I enjoy skiing more than sailing really and although I absolutely love being on water (it immediately calms me), nothing beats hurtling down a mountainside with the wind roaring in your ears and your legs and knees aching from the massive pressure of trying to make your next turn better than your last. I always sleep like a baby when I’m in the mountains (although how much of that is due to liberal amounts of après-ski extravagance, I wouldn’t like to comment). Skiing is a great way to tire the body (far better than staying up all night partying, although that too can have a similar effect) and there’s nothing nicer than getting back after a hard day on the piste and sinking into a deep, hot bath with a large glass of whisky to hand. Decadent maybe, but I wish I were doing that right now.

In fact, maybe I will. After all, stray cat is fast asleep; the washing machine and dishwasher are loaded; my homework is all done – I’ve nothing to worry about, have I? Time for a little self-indulgence I think.