Being shouted at - Listening - Virtual grandmother

Once I was shouted at so intensely that all I saw was the rectangular box of the mouth and the two eyes. I took in none of the words, apart from the fact that there was no swearing. My reply was full of swearing.

In contrast I sat in a friend's kitchen today, holding a mug of coffee, waiting for her to say more, for her face to keep on shifting, for her thoughts to come. I asked some questions and listened to the words she used.

A new game has come along, Fall Out Shelter. It involves many things, but all I care about is the babies! H announced he'd got 3 on the way! I kept on asking if the mothers had gone into labour yet. Eventually he rushed into the kitchen and showed me that the first one had been born. I was so thrilled :) Over the next 15 mins the others arrived.

My mother in law came in, so we told her about one virtual baby. We didn't let on about the other two, she was shocked enough by just one :)

Peaceful --- In the house --- No noise --- It's been so long --- All these months of rushing around --- It feels unreal

No more rushing - We have time to talk to each other

Moving slowly - We can ask just one question at a time

Taking my time - We wait for the kettle to boil

One thing at a time - We went and did some digging in the front garden

Time to take photos - Let my sore feet rest after hours dancing

Well guess what..

..T's laptop only allows him to have 23 tabs open at once. Can you tell we are equally welded to our laptops today?

Every so often I realise that the silence in our kitchen is due to us both sitting in that identical hunched up pose with the same intense stillness. It takes a big burst of energy to do something else.

We chat a lot though, like office banter, one person trying to do something and the other one eagerly chatting 19 to the dozen.