C'est Le Weekend: Sobriety

Back in the folds of home, husband and child.

The ethics course was informative, and I learned much.

Glad to be back home, though.

 The weekend will be busy with preparation for work next week.
And I have sleep to catch up.

It's very cold, but the sun is wonderful, and blue skies, a blessing. 

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Cargo

The week so far has been a tough one.
I've been to see the physiotherapist who is convinced that I have no fibromyalgia, but just a helluvalotof stress.
Stress.

Mmmm.
The realisation that I might just have a burnout and the realisation that I've been walking around like this for years, is daunting.
It might just be about time to admit that perhaps all is not as dandy as I thought it was, and that it really is time to lay some of that cargo I've been slugging around, down.

Had a great conversation with two colleagues, who both thought that yes, I do have a burnout, and one suggested that it might be a great idea to give myself the gift of a burnout.
That the burnout would give me time off work, and time to recuperate again from stress and heal my body.
The idea is growing on me.
The other colleague suggested I pick a date, and then after having finished all the work that I wanted to complete, I should then call in sick.
Gives my control freak-can't-let-anything-go-self a chance to plan my mental breakdown.
(And yes, I have to snigger when I write this).

Anyway.
I have the fervent belief that things will get better.
Eventually.
Even if it calls for drastic measures like admitting to myself that I do have a burnout and should tell my boss this news as well.

Sigh.
Sigh.
Sigh.


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Words to live by

I have a burnout.

It's official.

Sigh.

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Them old salt mines are callin'

The party's over.
Today it's back to work, and as I didn't do a stitch of work (like I was supposed to) during the Christmas break, I am going back to lots and lots of stress.

I have students writing exams (which I first need to compile).
I'm running behind on handing in all grades for the entire academic year so far.
I have two meetings today for which I am not prepared - at all.
And to top it all off, I'm going on an Ethics course on Thursday and Friday, for which I have to prepare as well, but have no idea how to, nor the blooming energy to even think about it.
I'll just have to wing it, I guess.

There are bigger problems in the world than my petty rubbish.
But still.

Wish me luck.
Please. 


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Villa Augustus in January

Date night with the husband.
We went to Dordrecht, to Villa Augustus, where I'd been with my parents in July.

The husband had Frito Misto, I had grilled veggies from the garden (theirs was cooked to perfection, mine is usually dry and chewy and definitely not so full of taste - will have to take cooking lessons from the talented brother in February), then we had Calzone, and finished off with Lemon & Lime Meringue.
LOVELY.

I love Villa Augustus.
There is no Design for Design's Sake.
It's 100% done with a Devil-May-Care-For-Design attitude.
I love the painted concrete walls.
The knives with the Villa Augustus hare on it.
I love the shop.
I love the gardens and the hotel, and I even love the WCs.

(Pity the boys all woke up when we came home and I only had 2,5 hours' of sleep, making that a total of 5,5 hours for the entire weekend, but I'll try not to focus on that...)

Go.
An experience, I promise you.


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Words to live by

Gotta love my Camus.

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C'est Le Weekend: Wrap it up

The time has come to take down all the Christmas decorations and take down the tree.
The husband and I didn't get presents, but I did buy myself cocktail glasses - 4 glasses for just six bucks.
Not too shabby.

Everyone should have at least one cocktail glass in their lifetime.
And the opportunity to use it.




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Recovery

We've only now begun to recuperate from New Year's Eve.
Sigh.

Not that we went to any parties or drank ourselves silly.

I mean, we did drink, just the two of us, which makes us seem a bit sad and alcoholic I guess, but it was really the fault of the teenagers next door with their batch of fireworks that did the trick.

 I feel like Scrooge:  I hate New Year's.
Can't remember ever actually having a great New Year's Eve.

All hell broke loose just before, and then again, just after midnight.
The first round of fireworks woke Son#3, and then the second round woke Thing#1 and Thing#2.

I refused to go outside and congratulate the neighbours on a new year, so I sat with all three boys in the windows looking at the fireworks.
We ooh-ed and aah-ed.

Unfortunately, Thing#1 and #2 don't sleep late when they go to bed late, so the husband was up early the next morning.
Son#3 and I slept until 10 a.m.
(Did I mention my husband is the best husband in the world?)

On January 1st we went to the beach for about 33 minutes.
It's an hour's drive, you know.

But then someone (I won't mention any names) threw a tantrum, then the husband and I threw tantrums and I said we're packing it in.
Here they are, just before Terminal Impact:

Blissful silence in a tense car followed us home.

But, it was lovely weather.
I drank great coffee.
Everyone (except us) was friendly.

It could have been worse.


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Domestic Worries

1913.
'Huishoudelijke zorgen'

Rik Wouters.

Them damn domestic troubles.

They had them back then too.

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Here we go

Well.
Here it goes then:  My goals for 2013.

1. I will be losing weight by eating well because I don't want diabetes and I'd like to feel good about myself for a change
2. I'm enrolling for an old university qualification that through laziness, I didn't complete.  I like to complete stuff, and now is as good a time as any.
3. I'm joining a yoga class again because yoga made me feel great.
4. I will spend more time dating my husband whom I adore.
5. I'm going to follow through on the physiotherapy that will help with reducing my stress levels (and doing anything and everything else to aid this goal which is a biggie)

That's it.
These 5 goals, and my life should improve a bit more, don't you think?

Wishing you a good, contented, healthy, calm year with nice people in it, great opportunities and the kindness to think of others who have less than we do.
Have a good one!


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