I realise the claim that I am a bold and innovative thinker is not supported by my question “what is normal?”, but given that there’s already some debate as to whether or not I am a thinker at all, let alone what kind, I’m happy to simply skim past that debate like a dieter skims past the hor d’ouvres on the way to the open bar.  I want to know this: when people refer to things being “back to normal”, what do they mean?  And why don’t I have one?

I assume “back to normal” means some sort of return to a routine, but what if you’re constantly changing your routine?  What if you’re always making new plans and plotting out new things to do/cook/cast on as soon as you’ve done/cooked/cast off something?  Which is the normal bit?  I think normal for me must be flux.  Which is both an excellent opportunity to use a favourite word and a chance for me to reconcile myself to the fact.  Just finished the Cupcake Marathon of 09?  Time for a massive party to bid farwell to the house!  Finished the massive party? Six days until moving day!  And so on.  I love it. I love the sense of motion and change and new experiences, and all that awesome stuff.

But I think, after we move house, just for a while, I’m going to have a go at that other kind of normal, where stuff is quiet and you don’t fill your weekends up to the brim with back-to-back commitments.  I’m going to have a go at the kind of normal that just involves knitting (ideally on the back porch, enjoying the spring) and a little bread baking.  And maybe some muesli toasting.  Whoa, better stop there.  I can see things get out of control quick.