Rotten weather

The weather isn't very nice today. The sky is horribly grey and oppressive, with fast-moving clouds. It's cold, dark, rainy and windy. In short it's rotten, but not too bad at all for the time of year. This time last year I was struggling to get to work in arctic conditions. I don't want to show you a picture of the miserable day. Instead I've included a picture of the glorious sunset of 14th July last, which is much nicer. This is the sunset that I came home to, on returning from holiday in Cornwall.
Since I wrote this morning, I've managed to grab another two hours' sleep. I feel slightly disorientated and have been going through the coffee and fags routine, but with just one cup of coffee. It seems odd that I will be cooking my dinner in about two hours. As usual my brain is full of thoughts and ideas, and working overtime. You will gather from my blogs that I am generally very tired these days. I usually write my blogs soon after I wake up.
There is one final person I would like to tell you about, under the heading 'My Family'. In my last job she was my line manager. She had to show a tough exterior, which I can assure you is not her real nature. I always spoke to her the way I speak to everyone, and we became friends. When I was still in London she would take me out driving at weekends to see the sorts of places we both enjoy. She is very kind-hearted and thoughtful, and a good laugh. We trust each other implicitly.
I had a realisation yesterday, that I have now become a person in my own right, rather than someone who is known through other people. I was very unhappy where I lived before, and had no more than about ten visits in the thirteen years that I lived there. I didn't have the means to entertain, and this is not conducive to good friendship. I was the one who nearly always did the visiting. I felt like I was on the outside of what was going on, a bit of a shadow on the periphery of life. Dear reader, my friends have never treated me in this way, and I don't want anyone to misunderstand this. The feeling was all on my part, because of my inability to reciprocate.
Nowadays I live in a flat that feels like home, that I love and enjoy being in. All my closest friends bar one have visited, and I am able to entertain & put people up decently. I have further built up a social network since I moved, and have made a favourable impression on others through my work in the museum and through my music. I am making the best life for myself that I have ever had.
I am still worried about my friend who fell ill the other day. He has been quite poorly. Get well matey.