The Modern Day Caveman

This week got away from me. Between settling into my new routine, adjusting to living in York, and trying to find some structure again, the days pretty much blurred into each other. I didn’t manage the usual day-by-day notes, and it’s thrown me out of rhythm a bit.

I’ve struggled to build a routine here. Back home, I’d exercise after work, come home, and then journal. The problem here is not knowing any routes yet. It gets so dark so early that it’s hard to figure out where to walk or run.

I’ve still done some exercise, just not as much as I’d like. On Wednesday (Day 29), though, I actually ran my fastest 5km ever – 28:29. I’ve only dipped under 30 minutes once before, earlier this year. The area is really flat with barely any elevation, but still, it felt like a great achievement.

Work has been a bit of a drag this week. A few sales things haven’t gone my way, and it’s all felt quite slow. I’m eager for things to pick up so I can start making a real dent in my debt again.

One thing I am enjoying is living with my girlfriend again. The simple stuff has been really nice – cooking together in the evenings, taking turns making meals. Last night I made an orzo and plant-based chorizo bake while she made garlic bread. We watched Carry-On on Netflix, a first Christmas film of the year (maybe too early in my opinion!), but it reminded me of all the small things we used to love when we had our first place.

Unfortunately, living together hasn’t been completely smooth, and it’s not down to either of us. The cottage we’re in is very old and the insulation is… non-existent. We’ve been freezing most nights, and there are some pretty bad mould and damp issues. My girlfriend reported it to the letting agents, and the guy they sent out said he’d never seen anything like it, which wasn’t exactly reassuring.

Now we’re unsure what will happen next. Will we have to move out? Will it be classed as uninhabitable? Just as I was starting to settle into this new chapter, there’s a chance I might end up moving back home.

This week has left me feeling a bit torn. Part of me is excited to be here and to be rebuilding something positive, but another part feels unsettled by all the uncertainty. I’m trying to remind myself that change rarely feels tidy, and even when things look messy, it doesn’t mean they’re going wrong. For now, all I can do is take each day as it comes and trust that the pieces will fall into place.