One of my worst traits is overworking, and pretty much every year I tell myself I must do better, as the 'leave year' resets to zero and I am eligible for however much leave it is that I can never remember without checking.

Today I have booked my first weekend break of the year, beginning after the final Zoom to Oz and ending on my day off at the end of Feb.  So, notionally, one day of leave and one free Sunday, but actually just right, and long enough to unwind and regroup before the start of Lent.

Having given up on owning a car, and rarely if ever, driving in the past seven years or thereabouts, I choose places I can get to by public transport, which is always something of a logistical challenge.  Even so, today I have booked an apartment that's an easy walk from Lancaster railway station, with access to river walks, cafes, a pleasant town centre to explore, and which will give me privacy and space to relax.  Ideal.

It's curious how my feelings about time out have evolved over the past couple of years, and how much I find myself drawn to shorter breaks with easy public transport.  Just need to invest in new novels and puzzle books between now and then!