Driven to Distraction

I do like novelty and change, so that aspect of relocating doesn't bother me, apart from the odd twinge of regret. I'll miss family and friends but these days it's easy to keep in touch.  I know that better than most because my family and friends are scattered around the globe. We'll be able to come and go by train easily enough to see the grandchildren in London or have them visit our new seaside home.

What does bother me is all the uncertainty connected with selling the flat. I'd expected not to be here by Election day, for instance, so had arranged postal votes for Roy and self.  Then I was cross when it came and went, because I like all the palaver of going to vote in person.

The main  area of uncertainty just now is whether to call it quits with our very dilatory buyer and to put the flat back on the market. But that would mean  the prospect of more viewers to tidy up and wait in for. And no guarantee that the next one wouldn't be just as slow. I'm subjected to conflicting advice,  but whenever I'm urged to take a stricter line at the latest setback there's always Roy to tell me to curb my impatience.

Then it hit me all of a sudden last weekend - I could learn Greek! Maybe I found the box when I was sifting through the charity-shop donations.

I already have this  set of book and two disks because we went to Cyprus for the first time last October. At that time it was all a bit short-notice and I didn't have the concentration, following a death in the family. Now, with further  travel a possibility, it seems a perfect distraction.

It's a good course, all clearly set out with tasks to do each day , flash cards to carry around on the transport and mentions of exotic places  in the dialogues. 

It's not just the formality of language learning that appeals, either. True, I like the way the nouns and adjectives all fit together with their different endings, the lists of vocabulary and the carefully constructed conversations. I'm also excited at the chance  know more about the culture. I've even bought a box set about Ancient Greece.

Mostly, though, it's a comfort to be in charge and to have a sense of progress. It may seem a bit extreme, but for me it's a perfect distraction.