stolen moments or... busy doing nothing

one of those rare occasions that we've learned to make the best of over the years - k. had a day off sick a couple of weeks ago which coincided with my day off - the last one like this was in kansas city in october when i wasn't employed - the day he sprawled across the settee entranced by the sight of steroid-fed bodybuilders in tight lycra shorts doing exciting things with heavy objects in 'the world's strongest man'

we spent our unexpected day off in the flat just slobbing around, curled up on the sofa, watching tv, eating unhealthy food from the orchard towers food court, drinking lots of tea and blackberry cordial, and talking - these days have a special atmosphere which is difficult to explain - it's like the train has stopped on a busy journey and we've got off to gaze a while at the scenery - a chance to wallow in our own company and (sorry but this sounds cliched) just 'be'

our schedules are crazy at the moment - i work through the weekend and he's been spending a lot of time in koala lumpy during weekdays (a place which both of us dislike) so we haven't been spending as much time together as we had been doing before we moved back to singapore - it's a complete reversal of the last two years - during our time in london and then our subsequent travels we spent more time in each other's company than we ever had before in the previous eight years in singapore - the fact that we managed not to inflict violent death on each other during this period is a glowing testament to both of our patience and tolerance levels

now we've resumed our singapore lifestyle, we have fallen back with a fair amount of ease into our old routines - this is good and i'm not complaining - but, like that day the other week, it is great to spend time together just doing nothing, talking nonsense and chilling out - the fact that these days are infrequent and totally unexpected sets them apart from and makes them stand out more than an ordinary day off together, like, for example, a weekend or a bank holiday, when you have expectations of how the day will be and follow set routines you've established together - in contrast, these spontaneous days are free of expectations and make you feel completely relaxed - i always feel like a student again who, with a group of friends, has cut a lecture to just hang out - stolen moments, in fact