Wednesday, October 7

I wore gloves as I cycled this morning, and I needed them. The grass and leaves were covered in frost and the smallest of puddles were frozen.

On the walk from Kalasatama to Arcada I paused at the new Lidl to buy a croissant and two chocolate bars. It is the only Lidl in Helsinki, as far as I know, that opens at 8:00.

I intended to write all morning but I didn’t manage. Open offices come with their own built-in perils. I sorted out various administrative matter. I chatted with various people who walked up to me while I was trying to write. I sat rhere while the new cleaner cleaned round my feet and polished my desk while I was using it. I wrote 500 words.

Of course, if I was Kingsley Amis that would have counted as a day’s work and a reason to go to the club for a lunchtime G&T. I had bread and cheese at my desk instead.

I spent the afternoon with the Mobile Apps group, who used Trello to turn their initial ideas into workable plans. Some groups managed and some ended up with kanban boards that looked like vague initial ideas arranged in columns. I discussed at length with each group, and will discuss more tomorrow.

Now Irma and I are in Stockmann because it is the first day of the annual Crazy Days. WE failed to find much on the top two floors but we can count on the deli to provide us with edible entertainment. Do we have purchases? Yes we do!

Later, when we are home again, we will have sushi and showers.