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The day of the office move went smoothly enough. I pretty much shifted all my stuff yesterday so spent this morning putting other peoples’ things into boxes and archiving off old issues and test results.

We were done by one - and that included shifting around the plants so we have the best ones near our desks - so bought lunch and bottles of wine and walked up to Regents Park for the afternoon. The sky was purest unbroken blue, and the day was so hot that we felt ourselves start to burn as we walked up there and when we arrived took refuge under a tree from which we could watch the passing eye candy.

As the sun slowly pushed the shadow across the lawns, we slipped into its warm bright glow, and as the afternoon wore on we gradually collapsed into a drowsy heap. Nattering, drinking and enjoying what felt like the start of a long hot weekend.

We’d all have left about four had Leo not turned up with a bag full of beer (in cans - not loose) and olives and the whole process started all over again, and as always happens in such situations the longer we sat the more silly the conversation got until by the time half the group had no choice but to run for trains to take them across country for fathers’ day we were giggling like kids.

Leo and I were in no particular hurry, so waving goodbye to the others we set out to walk the park, which apart from last night’s stroll back from the zoo I’ve not done in years. I’d forgotten quite how beautiful it was.

Around every corner was a bed just exploding with roses, and each one more magnificent and fragrant than the last. Ducks, and excited little ducklings, swam back and forth in the lakes, brushing the backs of the long slow fish with their feet as they went, and seemingly half of London had deserted their offices and instead stretched themselves out on the lawns.

It was a shame when we arrived back on Marylebone Road and we had to bury ourselves underground for our respective journeys home. I could happily have stayed there, walking in the gardens, for another whole hour or two. It was late by then, though, in spite of the fact it still felt like three o’clock, and I arrived home to reports of gloomy weather ahead.

I’m glad I wore my shorts to the office today. First time this year. I hope it won’t be the last (although perhaps my fellow writers hope it will).

This entry was posted on Friday, June 13th, 2003 at 11:54 pm and is filed under Journal, Picture story. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.