I had a great week at work last week. My team is now almost complete - last person joining next week. Just got one person off on long-term sick, but I think that will resolve itself soon. That's all been a bit messy to be honest, but a blog is NOT the place to talk about that and so I will not.
It's amazing having people to delegate to and also occurs to me why I've been so exhausted for a year and a half. Basically I now have a team of 7. For the first 6 months it was a team of 3, then for the next 4 months it was a team of 4, then for 2 months a team of 5, then back down to 4 when one of my team went off sick and didn't come back.
So for all that time I've essentially been doing the work of those that were not on the team - as well as my own job. It's been incredibly frantic and to be honest I could do with another 3 people with the amount of work we have on.
Yesterday was fathers day. Husband decided that it was going to be a water sports day. So he grabbed his paddleboard and I grabbed the kayak I got for my birthday and we headed off.
When I was about 14 I used to spend loads of time canoeing. As did my brother. Brother was far more adventurous and did things like white water canoeing and even canoed across the Solent to the Isle of Wight once. I was more of a paddle gently up river and sit back and enjoy the scenery as the current took me back to where I started.
I remember once lying back and enjoying the view when suddenly out of the water came the head of a snake, that was following in the slip stream of the canoe. I'd like to say that I found it really cool, but I was terrified. I couldn't use the oars to get away either as I'd have bashed the snake on the head - and whilst I was scared of the snake I didn't want to hurt it!! Needless to say - that's the only exciting bit of the story - it didn't hurt me and eventually it got bored and went away.
Aaaaaanyway, this was going to be my first time doing anything like this since I was about 16 which was a LONG time ago. So I really didn't fancy doing it in the sea for the first time. Though we've been very good and we've got buoyancy jackets for inland and full on lifejackets for when we do go on the sea.
A friend that does a lot of water sports recommended a river that was nearby, it never fails to amaze me how ignorant I am about the wider area where I live! So we went to the river - she was right it was the perfect place to re-start.
First of all son and I went out on the kayak together and husband stayed with dog. I didn't fall in when I got in - which was a great start. Son and I had a lovely time together although we're both like misguided missiles on land and so you can imagine what we're like on water. I did laugh though as we would be heading up the river with our oars clashing into each other and the kayak going left, then right, then left, then right. However, as soon as anybody appeared on the path along the river we were like Olympic rowers - completely in synch with each other and on a steady course.
It appears we're only competent kayakers if we have an audience!
Once we got back husband and son went out and I looked after the dog. The dog spent the whole time looking up the river for them crying!!! We have to sort out this separation anxiety. The problem is because we both work from home essentially she's not used to being left. Although she's used to son going to school now.
We went past one woman on a paddleboard who had a dog about the same size as ours standing on the front. Now THAT'S an amazing idea. I'm not sure we'll be able to get it to work, but where we're going on our summer holiday (same place as usual - see previous posts), we may be able to give it a go as when the tide is out on the river there isn't a bank to jump down, you could just step on from the beach, so we may be able to have a play.
Watch this space.
Despite the fact I didn't fall in the water I did end up soaked - fortunately I'd remembered from my previous canoeing activity that I always ended up in this state. I had therefore bought a full change of clothes for both son and myself. Husband literally didn't have a drop of water on himself - I have no idea how he achieved that!
Anyway, all in all we had loads of fun, the kayak is awesome. I'm thrilled to bits and can't wait to go again.
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