Two weeks paid vacation, I need another one.

A few weeks left, and then I’m leaving England. We’re going to live in an old farmhouse down a little track, 10-minute walk from a small village in Germany. http://www.fischerhude.net It’s my secret, because it’s the kind of place I’ve always dreamed of, especially now with my little boy and wife, it’s sort of so appealing to me it’s unreal. The truth is society has always bored me. Not people, but this kind of atmosphere of shoppers and drinkers, consumerism buy me no buy me please. Some duck woman staring at me with dollar eyes from the gossip magazines, constant traffic in the city. We’re taking our books and records, our armchairs and our candles. A game of chess. Cluedo. Computer. What else do we need? I’m going to buy eggs from the farmer next door, grow my own cabbage in the garden. Oh and then we’re going to go out and drive 35 minutes to Bremen to see the cold war kids. I’m going to get New Yorker magazine and under the radar delivered. I like this contrast in things.

I think I’m writing a wish list. I better stop.

Next week I have a disciplinary hearing where I work for taking too many sick days. It’ so pointless really, but that’s big business for you. (The crazy thing is I really was sick! That’s the craziest thing!). Then I’ve got a wedding. I’m best man, so what do I say? Don’t chew on the asparagus boy, put your arm around her and everything will be all right, forever. Happily ever after. Just don’t ask what happens after happily ever after.

And then last night Bryan Ferry - somehow still cool - at the Diana concert. If you watch that stuff you actually start missing Princess Di, a woman I never cared about, but the charity work. It’s thrown in your face and you start to like her. The boys too. William and Harry. They seem like they could be my friends. Everyone’s singing along to Elton crooning away at the piano as the fireworks go, and damn it, you almost wish you were there. Just almost. The clips of Status Quo give it away.

Some nutcase tries to plant a bomb, it seems such useless pathetic attempts, and so stoo-ped! What else in the news? Bush is a loony playing golf, Tony Blair’s a showman, and Gordon Brown seems cool because he isn’t. Other world leaders? Putin’s a nutcase. Merkel…well, we’ll find out.
Through all this I imagine my little farmhouse, and all is calm. Did I mention there’s a sandpit and swing there too? Oh, and a dishwasher. Wow! That’s life when you’re 30. A fucking dishwasher excites you.

Still, 4 weeks to go. Tomorrow I’m off to Starbucks to read gossip magazines to depress me so I’m excited when Fran and Ezekiel come back from art club. Pah, perhaps I’ll really miss these big chain shops and reading about Paris Hilton finding God at prison. Perhaps I’ll miss being at work and listening to everyone talk about last night’s TV non stop like crickets. But somehow I doubt it.

See you in Germany. Bis bald!

Others >>>> Fran’s strawberry jam, beach trips with friends, summer rain, driving, Hoverton gardens, Timmy the dog, sonic youth days, happiness is all the rage, George Gissing “the odd woman”, Mark Kozelek, slowly translating German articles (necessary I geuss!), crosswords on envelopes, kill rock stars, the lone ranger, blackberry cup cakes, sunrise with Ezekiel at 5am, Gil Scot Heron peace out.