Thursday 18th May 2023
I've been in this town of Hartlepool, a week today and it feels like five minutes. I've been sleeping well, I've been eating well and family-ing well. In contrast to how I started my summer here last year, there's far less adrenaline and sense of urgency to get things done and buildings seen. I almost decided to go out for a run this morning but it was dull and cool, haha. I know running helps keep my brain clear but for the last month I've been resistant to it and that's okay too. I know I will get back into it but my body just said no, and I listened.
What I did say yes to today, was lunch with my niece. She had an afternoon out of school for management time and she managed my time perfectly. We went down to the marina which looks a little sad with so many restaurants closed down but the weather was pleasant and we had a wander over the locks after lunch. There's a bit of activity happening around the marina as the Tall Ships will be in the marina in July this year and that is sure to bring a lot of tourist business to the town. Builders were working on some of the older buildings and they've tarred a public footpath since I was here last year.
We stopped in at some shops in a retail outlet and I wandered through the aisles just looking at all the new visual stimuli. It's strange seeing all the summer clothes in the store as it still feels a little fresh for shorts, haha. It feels like a long time since I was feeling all the fluffy outfits of winter in October last year. I thought it might feel more familiar returning so soon, but it doesn't yet. It's easing back into reading double or single digits of prices instead of threes and hundreds of Rands and trying not to convert it again. I've obviously needed this chill time of adjusting instead of my mad rush to get everything done. Patience, and trust, I have the exact amount of time that I need.
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