Friday 18th September

I have always been an early riser.  As a child I had my jobs to do in the morning, drying up (until I was promoted to washing up) and cleaning the family’s shoes.  My mother ran a very organized house and we all had our set tasks, so no laying in bed in the morning.  When I was about thirteen I got a paper round, and was up about six every day; I can’t remember if mum woke me or I had an alarm clock, but I was up before everyone else and racing to the shop often in pitch darkness to sort my papers and be on my round.  My first job in London was as a store-man at the Carlton Towers and we started at 7.30.  I would leave my bedsit at six and via the 73 bus would be at work by 7 and eating a hearty breakfast in the staff canteen. Before I knew it I was a single father and waking about six would dress and feed my son, and plonk him on the dicky seat on my crossbar cycle for half an hour to his nursery and then all the way into Central London to my work.

At a certain point I moved to Leyton, but my son was still at his Finchley school.  Again an early start and across London by train and bus, making sure he was at least outside the school gates if not actually going in, then on to work.

Made redundant when I was in my mid-thirties I started working self-employed two days a week at a Patisserie at almost the other end of the Central Line from my home. I used to catch the first train at 5.20, and start work at 6.30.  Later I had a part-time job two days a week at a Pasta factory, again starting at around 6.30 and leaving there at 8.30 to do my proper job.  I worked for a while at Sketch and was so overworked that I again voluntarily started at 6, just to catch up on my heavy workload.  For the last few years it was up at 6.15 and out of the house by 7.30.  And even on my days off a lay-in would be 7.30 or 8, in fact I don’t ever really recall sleeping much past eight, even on holidays.  And now in France I am up at 7.15 and on market days at 6 – the Café never sleeps…hahaha

I don’t really mind, except when we have been out late the night before drinking, and had a poor night’s sleep.  But having shaved and showered and fed and walked the dogs I am right as rain again.  So, an early riser all my life; and I imagine I always will be.