Disclaimer - I am leaving my typing almost un-edited from the video, so be prepared for some bad grammar

So we woke up early today to try and get a lovely sunrise view across the water, we didn't get it perfect, but it's still stunning sitting here and getting a productive start to the day! 

Despite racing the sun, and having to wake up earlier than usual (after characteristically little sleep), I feel unusually calm. The lovely ambiance of the birds is a brilliant soundtrack to this view, nature really had our back with this one! The odd seagull or duck quack does pierce through the early morning air, but I like to think of that as natures 'espresso', snapping me back to focus if I drift a little.

There is something really cool about being up earlier than you usually would, having a calm start to the day, as the crisp air reminds you that even though this is late summer, it is indeed still England. Having a duck alarm wake you up, to then go sit by a lake and hear actual ducks quacking away to their heart's content, is definitely more than a little ironic. I will say it does strike me as quite wholesome, like i've been transported back to a time before phones, giving real ducks a chance to shine before they get replaced by robots.

I noticed a whole bunch of Grey Squirrels as we were setting up today, and I have a fun fact that I can't stop myself from sharing. Grey Squirrels were introduced to these isles from North America, as a sort of ornamental species on estates and stately homes. However in a tale as old as time, nature couldn't be tamed, and they caused so much damage that eventually releasing Grey Squirrels was made illegal. The native Brown Squirrel now had an artificial competitor for its food and shelter. A far larger, more aggressive cousin that outcompeted them badly. They were often subject of attacks from their American cousins. Fast forward to the present day and I have noticed 10-15 Grey Squirrels and not a single Brown one. I think they are close to being put on the endangered list but i'll check when I have internet. (Near threatened apparently). It feels like quite a shame when humans have that un-neccesary impact.

Okay the first Pomodoro alarm has gone off, time for a quick break.

It always takes me by surprise you think I'd be used to it by now.

On the flipside, I have to give testament to their journey. It's quite impressive that a very small number of Squirrels plonked in a completely different environment, can out compete the locals, master their new environment and have grown in such numbers that they now appear in almost every park in England. Well I suppose it's mix of that, and a voracious appetite for bonking, either way still pretty impressive!

I wouldn't traditionally call myself an early morning person, but I have to say, it's lovely being alone with my thoughts before the world has woken up. There is so much stimulation in modern life, so I am relising the opportunity to just write. I'm not writing anything profound, you'll find no big narratives here, but it's a cathartic and a bit of fun. Maybe I am being a bit too flippant - perhaps the interweaving fates of the 2 species of Squirrel IS profound, a metaphor for the pace of modern life out competing the brilliance of simplicity and calm.

Nah

Just FYI, there are now a few Grey Squirrels in the trees around me, seemingly eager for retribution over some of my previous comments, perhaps this will be the last thing I write...

See you next week, if I make it!

DOES WORKING IN AN AQUADROME IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY??

9/10*

*only thing missing was my breakfast!