My Mum is scared. She’s heard sounds coming from the loft, and she thinks that it’s mice. She lives in a rural area and mice, rats and other vermin are pretty damn common, so I suppose it’s a possibility. I do think that birds roosting under the eaves for warmth during the sub zero temperatures we’re getting at night at the moment is a much more likely explanation, though.
It’s funny how you hear so many more sounds at night when you live alone. I’m the only one of my family who has any real experience of it. Mark has never lived alone, and Dad never did. I’ve spent the vast majority of the last three years living alone, and have another 18 months or so of solitary living under my belt during my time in this flat. It takes some getting used to, but you are definitely more alert to the smallest noise when you’re on your own. It’s probably just some survival mechanism, an ear for danger that allowed our ancestors to live. Pity it has to cost us the occasional night’s sleep now.
In other news, London remains disturbingly quiet. It’s obvious that the combination of many people still being on holiday and the train strike has kept the usual numbers of commuters, tourists and shoppers out of the city. You know, if London was like this all the time, I might still enjoy living here. instead, experiences like this just harden my determination to get out of London as soon as I can.