Steve has been away now for 5 days.  It feels more like 5 weeks.  We have been in Switzerland for 7 days.  Today, I am homesick.

I am acutely aware that from Steinhausen to Somerset is a total distance of 700 miles (give or take a couple).  Oh and that is miles, not kilometres.  Kilometres, if my maths was good enough to work it out, would be just too depressing.  So I have decided to list the positives:

  • the construction site in front of us is currently quiet, the workers are on factory fortnight – or rather builders break
  • the kids bedrooms, and cubby hole, are sorted, only 1 more box of soft toys to unpack
  • the kids are still happy just playing with each other, Box City is still enough to entertain them in the absence of actual real life friends
  • my parents arrive tomorrow

Of course to every up side there is a down.  Because the kids are happy playing together it has meant that I don’t see anyone apart from at mealtimes.  It means that I have time to dwell on the things I still need to do (finish hemming the curtains for the spare room, clearing the last 2 boxes from the living area before starting on the boxes of stuff we no longer have room for).  I also know that before I can actually see my parents I have another 24 hours to get through and a 30 minute car journey.  Haven’t driven since my “Watch the Wheels” episode with Steve.  However motorway driving will be fine, no roundabouts or curbs.  It’ll be fine.

I am letting myself think too much about home and the 700 miles actually feels as though it’s as far as the moon.  You can see it but you can’t quite reach it.  The other thing that this 700 miles is doing is allowing the Proclaimers smash hit to play on continuous repeat in my head.

But I would walk 500 miles

and I would walk 500 more

just to be the man who walked 1000 miles

to fall down at your door.

I totally get it.  The sentiment is bang on.  I would quite happily set off today just to feel as though I was getting a bit closer, so that the 700 miles wasn’t quite so, well, 700!   I feel like I’m in one of those dreams where you can see the person you want to talk to but you can’t get through the crowd, or you find you have no voice and so can’t shout to stop them.   Tomorrow cannot come quick enough.  I want my mummy!