No, not that proposal video that’s doing to rounds. To be honest I find that really cringey and would hate the attention and pressure of such a proposal. But that’s a story for another day. A less lovely day.

Today was a really lovely day.

After getting Ramona up and sorted and handed over to her eager grandparents, I had a leisurely morning to do little more than shower, dress and fart about on the Internet. I gently strolled up to the station, got a train quickly, headed into town and killed some time around Liberty, where I also managed to have a rare celeb sighting. I say sighting; I elbowed the poor woman before I managed to get upstairs, via the stunning Christmas Shop, to meet the gorgeous CupCate.

It was such a luxury to be able to spend two hours over lunch, enjoying Cafe Liberty‘s delightful salmon fishcakes (me) and chicken, pancetta and blue cheese pasta (Cate). A cup of tea each, some laughs, and some great relaxed time with a funny, interesting friend were all just perfect.

Having wandered to Covent Garden we went our separate ways, and I spent a thoroughly relaxed hour and a half or so just pootling semi-aimlessly around the piazza and drifting up and down side streets. I found a lovely orange dress on sale in Joy. I footled in and out of Cybercandy and L’Occitane, picking up a crafty spritz of their Green Tea Eau de Toilette, which I love, and spent an indulgent ten minutes just hanging around like a spare part in the Disney Store, listening to What’s This? from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

At one point my serene, contemplative stroll was marred briefly by a woman charging into me, tripping over my foot and then giving me a foul look when I immediately asked her if she was alright and held out my hand to help her. Oh well, she won’t stop me being concerned the next time someone collides with me, whether it’s my fault or not.

But back to ambling I went, circuitously ending up back at Tottenham Court Road. To home, where I had an hour to do sweet nothing, before my daughter came home, and offered me the kisses and cuddles that simply mean everything to me.

There are days to be busy. To focus on work, or personal interests like writing. There are productive days, and they are important.

And then there are days to remember the sweetness of a sheer lack of particular direction, where meandering as the mood takes you is nothing short of therapeutic.

For one afternoon, I forgot all else and was just… Alex.

Lovely.