I was hoping to finish everything early and sit back and watch the latest episode of Doctor Who: Flux while the other two were at the dentist. Instead I find myself simultaneously trying to configure a new website for the server ops team while holding a phone call about privacy on our sites. Then it’s time to cook dinner.

Time is a luxury. Finding the time to properly finish a task is rare. Last week I finished writing a new version of our documentation. I love writing but I hate writing documentation. I gave a talk, using a presentation I whipped up early one morning before others started their day. Sunday was devoted to teaching myself how to write modern HTML using grids and to write WordPress blocks. It felt so good to code, to solve problems to my satisfaction.

These things should all be fundamental to my role. Yet they are all pushed aside by the trivial but urgent requests of users, managers and colleagues. Always tactical, rarely strategic.

It is so exhausting that all I want to do is watch that Doctor Who episode. I’m enjoying the latest series, looking forward to each episode. Escapist. Familiar.

The state is rapidly opening up from its COVID lockdown torpor. I’m still wary of crowds and other people, but it does mean we can travel further. The weekend before last we drove the furthest in six months out to the Southern Highlands to visit a Finnish Lapphund breeder’s open day.

The pure breeds are larger than Kita, still beautiful. I’m not ready for the responsibility of a new dog yet, but it was nice to pat the puppies and their parents.

The Gumnut Patisserie at Berrima had run out of pies by the time we arrived for a late lunch. The end of lockdown has been an opportunity to supplement the range of cuisines available for dining. B and I visited a Teishoku Yayoi at Hurstville and, though they are often my least loved elements of a Japanese dish, the tsukemono pickles brought back so many memories that I appreciated them more than the mains.

Like the ginkgo tree at Berrima pictured that is the featured image of this post.

I discovered a small public Japanese garden in Sutherland the other day, a commemoration of sister city status with Ueno. That was after a meal at the very decent Kuro Neko ramen around the corner from the park.

I returned to my office yesterday for the first time since the last lockdown to farewell a couple of students. The asbestos has (hopefully) been cleared and the corridors are empty enough not to fear catching covid, but the adjacent childcare centre is currently closed due to cases there.

Last week sparring was permitted again at karate. This is both good and bad, in the sense that the sensei’s enthusiasm for it means less time spent on developing kata skills. It is a relief from the routine of working from home and almost my only chance to talk in person to other people from outside of my household.

I watched the Doctor Who episode, though it took me a few interruptions to complete.

Finished, unfinished.