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First day back today, after a 9-day break from client calls and webinars.
It wasn't a staycation, so much as an opportunity to work ON my business for a week, without the distraction of day to day delivery.
A chance to THINK, made even more useful by a face to face meeting in London with my business coach, Rachel Turner. We discussed my business plans for 2022 - a conversation that produced a couple of epiphanies for me, of which more in time.
As I mentioned on social media, last week was my first trip to the capitol for 413 days - and as strange an experience as my recent journey to Worcester.
Euston was largely empty, the Underground deserted, a walk along Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road illustrated clearly the economic carnage of the last year, as well as the effect on the population of the city.
For many of us living in suburbs (and perhaps rural areas) the gradual easing of lockdown has created a feeling of back to nearly normal. The pavement cafes, pub gardens and (until yesterday) Spring weather has brought us all out of our shells.
Over the weekend I had the opportunity to get some good bike rides completed "out out" and the sheer numbers of cyclists was staggering. However, even the centre of Macclesfield was thinly populated.
Am I right in suggesting a difference between life in cities/towns and life outside?
I've visited Manchester, Birmingham and London in recent weeks - each of which has been a ghost town.
Yet the smaller towns and urban villages around me - Knutsford, Alderley Edge, Wilmslow, Poynton, Prestbury, Hale - have been bursting with outdoor drinkers and diners.
We now await the next significant date of 17th May - news is brewing on international travel. Spectator sport? Well after the scenes at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon, there may be a few hiccups along the way.
But summer is coming.
It's head down back in to work for me today - in the knowledge that I have a lot to do - and with a backdrop that in just 38 days I'll be travelling to John O'Groats to begin a return "End to End" bike ride with Sheila Scott as my travelling companion.
Life is an exciting place to be right now.
p.s. just in case you missed it - here is a link to my May 2021 newsletter: