Having posted the question ... I supposed I should answer myself and nearly did
last night. Problem was there was so much going on around me that I couldn't concentrate to do more that read - and I only had one hand free. To my far left, Lisa was playing Final Fantasy XIV on twin screens (one game view, one database views), volume up, and wearing an earpiece through which she was co-ordinating with Leah (our emergency technical admin here) and indeed talking back at times. Across the room, the TV moved from Top of the Pops 2 (old disco hits) through to the harrowing situation in Myanmar - from relaxing to extremely unsettling. Between us, on his back and head down the bed lay Billy (the greyhound), and he was occupying that hand that I mentioned to be unavailable earlier - grumbling if I stopped the gentle stroking of the parts of him that were within easy reach. As well as the forum, various Facebook things were coming up on my screen including no fewer than three Facebook friends finding this Christmas season already starting hard. One I suspect dumped, one feeling very lonely indeed after life changing choices which have taken over her whole life, and one who's partner has come back from a concert drunk and abusive and who needs to sort out a developing cycle she only just admitted during the evening.
This morning, it's a bit quieter. I'm updating 2018 fare charts, preparing for
7th January Coffee Shop special event (my keynote speaker confirmed his availability yesterday evening!). Incoming post includes a notice of auction of Railwayana in the New Year and a quick distraction to glance through reveals a
Taplow totem (but in brown not green!) I expect will be of interest to one of our members - further look through in the evening I expect when the rest of the house is buzzing again. Billy has appeared and been outside to drain - now waiting for breakfast on the dog cushion. Gypsy - who was asleep at the bottom of the bed last night (snoring loudly) was up in the middle of the night but has yet to appear ...