I've just passed Go, collected Padma's boarding pass, and am set for four weeks of solitude. The trick, of course, is to be happy with and by yourself which requires that you embrace solitude. Without embracing solitude you feel lonely. And to embrace solitude, you have to be in a lonely place, if that makes sense.
I've just been across the bridge and back before embracing today's solitude. All that nodding and waving to people I'm supposed to know but barely do is quite tiring, quite apart from the village getting too busy for my liking what with five 'Open Houses' coming up this weekend.
Is this the last gasp of the real estate boom? We've hardly ever had one, now we have five: 37 Clyde Boulevard, 16 Currowan Street, 10 Runny-ford Road, 1 Runnyford Road and, on this side of the bridge, 2 Thule Rd.
And there have been some interesting make-overs, like that cute little corner house built on a steep slope. I admired it in 1992 after I'd bought a building block on an equally steep slope and was looking for inspira-tions. The owner has since gone out on a limb - literally - and doubled it in size. Did I tell you he's a structural engineer? He is; I kid you not.
And things will keep changing what with the construction of the new bridge due to start next year, and the coming of piped water and sewer-age. They call it progress; I call it a nuisance.
Embracing my solitude, I've locked the gate and moved into the small guest cottage which is so much more compact than the big house. No telephone, no television, enough food for the rest of the week, Mozart, a few books and my computer (how else do you think did I type this?)
Don't call me; I call you!
