I would love to know what activity has the greatest amount of displacement activity attached to it, but writing must be in the top 10.  You start, full of good intentions, then spend a couple of hours drawing out a great spreadsheet showing who features in each chapter.  Then you start to write, but decide that before you put it down you had better check something.  So you do that and that leads onto the germ of another idea, which you think about for a while and, before you know it, the time you put aside for writing is gone.

Never mind, you say.  I shall be so much better prepared next time.

Hmm. As per the advert, rinse, repeat.  

‘I don’t procrastinate’, she thought, unloading the washing machine. ‘I don’t usually procrastinate’ she clarified, investigating 18th century fashions. ‘I don’t, eek, is that the time?’

A few years ago, I switched away from an electronic calender to a paper diary for my personal appointments.  And what a revelation - I've not gone back.  Entries do not vanish mysteriously and paper doesn't beep suddenly in embarrassing places.  Use of pencil and a rubber allows instant editing and no need to scroll through lots of pages to get to today.  I suppose the only thing that can come as a shock is to open a new week and find it a complete, white blank.  But, then the positive kicked in - a chance to rest, refresh and recharge.  And then, who knows where things can go...

The rain was continuous, a steady drip of grey, bleeding colour into the drains.  She sought colour as, feathers fluffed, a lone bird sought shrivelled berries.

Sometimes I wonder about people (actually I wonder about people a lot - I'm very nosy).  But sometimes I wonder about specific people and why they bother to stay together.  Some couples don't seem to like each other very much and seem to always focus on the other's faults rather than their good points, delighting in pointing them out to others.  

Yes, we have moved on with the complaints, and it is more likely to be about table manners than domestic violence, but even so, it puts a listener in a rather iniquitous position - do you agree and be seen to condemn someone or disagree on principle and accuse someone of lying.

In this particular case, I took the coward's way out and changed the subject.

I had to open a conversation. “So, how long have you been married?” “Forty years.  Still trying to improve him.” I wonder whether perfection is attainable.

Is this a record?  Forget spotting Creme Eggs before Christmas, I have seen a reference to Christmas 2013 already.  OK, it was quite sensible, being for a building society advertising a saving plan to start putting things aside for Christmas now.  

Given that I am normally someone who does plan, I wonder why Christmas does evoke such feelings of 'not yet' about it.  Is it because it feels more like the turn of a year than New Year does?  Or is it because of the fact we are supposed to have such a good time, we feel don't want to let anyone down by seeming less than ecstatic at the time, regardless of the consequences.  I saw a report that the number of divorces and bankruptcies jump in January - not a Happy New Year...

The December advertisements were still up, slightly weather-beaten, their gaudiness in contrast to the weather and her mood.  The meeting with the bank was this afternoon.

OK, now it's the 5th, we've all got over the whole 'new' thing for the new year.  Three days at work already, then Monday I can laugh at those people for whom it is the first day back.  As usual, the artificial milestone has come and gone, with no discernible changes.  Maybe it is because I'm getting older that each year seems less significant a milestone, but then you get something from next door that reminds you that a passing year can bring some more radical shifts.

“I hate you, hate you.” The reply was inaudible, a low murmur of sound through the wall.  I’m an unwilling listener to a child growing up.

The news at the moment seems to be focused on investigations.  As current investigations report and the first reaction in almost any situation is now to call for an enquiry, we seem to be addicted to going back over old decisions.  Now where there have been miscarriages of justice, such as Hillsborough, this is long overdue.  However, I wonder how much most decisions really stand up when you look back at them, taking into account the beauty of hindsight?  And how many people are truly independent and unbiased?  We are all shaped by our upbringing, environment and personality, that we will all have a view on most things before we start.  Sometimes it seems we set impossible standards.

Under the façade, secrets squirmed vigorously, sending ripples that jarred her heartbeat.  Was it possible that no-one else could hear it?  She upped her smile’s wattage.

Following my concerns re fancy dress, I was delighted that only 1 of my much-younger colleagues (other than the organiser that had suggested it) turned up in fancy dress.  I wonder whether the pressures of grade inflation, job-hunting, saving for deposits etc have turned generation Y rather more serious than previous generations.  Certainly, they didn't drink as much either...is good behaviour the new bad?  It does seem that those I'm seeing getting plastered now are closer to my age.  Maybe health warnings work after all...

Shiny fabric met concrete slick with the first fingers of frost, legs flailing drunkenly.  I watched her being pulled to her feet: further collapse seemed inevitable.