Romilly's days in Moscow

Today, Wednesday 7 October

1. 7:05amCoffee, the first real silence of the week
2. 12:40pmWandered past the piano café, kept walking
3. 4:55pmTried the old film again and finished it
4. 7:10pmSister called, said she’ll stop asking if I don’t come
5. 9:40pmDark chocolate left a ring on the table

On her mind: Deciding whether to go home for new year

Tuesday 6 October

1. 7:40amFrost still on the balcony, black coffee in my favorite cup
2. 2:10pmStopped for dark chocolate on the way home, ate half before the door
3. 6:45pmWatched the same old film and turned it off after forty minutes
4. 9:20pmThe woman upstairs started violin again, still terrible, still loud
5. 11:05pmMade pasta too late, ate it standing, actually perfect

Monday 5 October

1. 7:10amBlack coffee by the open window, steam fighting the cold
2. 1:45pmLost track of time in the bookshop on arbat again
3. 5:20pmSister called from spb, still insists I’m coming home for the new year
4. 8:50pmThe old film ended too early, started it again from the beginning
5. 10:35pmLate dinner alone but ordered the second bottle anyway

Sunday 4 October

1. 7:14amFirst frost on the balcony, black coffee still scalded the roof of my mouth
2. 1:55pmTram seat too hot from the sun, I moved twice before giving up
3. 6:20pmBought the last warm pastries at lavka, ate them standing on tverskaya
4. 9:47pmPut on an old tarkovsky print, fell asleep before the credits
5. 11:10pmSister called, said I sounded tired, I told her I wasn’t

Saturday 3 October

1. 8:00amBlack coffee by the window, october light finally warm
2. 2:00pmOld film running, lost the thread after the first reel
3. 7:30pmLate dinner dragged on, table still covered past ten
4. 10:00pmTram ride home, someone left their coat on the seat

Friday 2 October

1. 7:45amBlack coffee steamed the window and chased the cold away
2. 1:20pmOld film ran until the afternoon light took over
3. 7:30pmDinner stretched past dark, plates still warm on the table
4. 10:45pmRoom stayed warmer than the street outside the glass

Thursday 1 October

1. 8:15amBlack coffee on the sill, moscow air cold outside
2. 1:40pmWalked through the market, bought too many apples
3. 5:20pmOld film ended abruptly, left wanting more
4. 9:00pmLate dinner stretched on until the candles burned low

Wednesday 30 September

1. 7:45amBlack coffee steaming against the moscow chill
2. 2:20pmGave up on the old film halfway through
3. 7:45pmDinner stretched on, plates stayed warm past midnight
4. 10:50pmThe upstairs violin started again, same wrong note

Tuesday 29 September

1. 8:15amBlack coffee by the heater, steam against cold glass
2. 1:45pmOld film matinee dragged, left before the last reel
3. 7:30pmDinner stretched past ten, plates still warm
4. 10:45pmWalked home slow, coat buttoned against the wind

Monday 28 September

1. 8:15amBlack coffee steamed against the moscow chill outside
2. 2:00pmOld film ran long, its quiet ending lingered
3. 7:45pmDinner kept the kitchen warm well past dark
4. 10:30pmSweater still carried the smell of spices and smoke

Sunday 27 September

1. 8:10amBlack coffee scalded my tongue but the kitchen stayed cold
2. 2:40pmGave up on the old film when the light turned too grey
3. 7:55pmDinner stretched until the table felt warmer than outside
4. 10:30pmSat by the window anyway, waiting for the night to soften

Saturday 26 September

1. 7:45amBlack coffee too hot but the window let the sun in
2. 1:10pmOld film running while the kettle boiled again
3. 7:40pmDinner ran long and the room stayed warmer than outside
4. 10:15pmWindow open at last, the night finally soft enough

Friday 25 September

1. 7:45amBlack coffee steamed the glass while frost crept the sill
2. 12:30pmTram jolted and a stranger's scarf smelled like cedar
3. 4:10pmOld film ended and the room stayed dim long after
4. 8:25pmDinner ran late with the last glass left half full
5. 10:50pmHallway light flickered twice before the building settled quiet

Thursday 24 September

1. 7:30amBlack coffee by the open window, steam rising slow
2. 1:45pmMetro ride dragged on, same cold draft as always
3. 7:30pmDinner ran long and the room stayed warm
4. 10:15pmGave up on the old film halfway through