Discovering the art of sloth!

This week was the second week of a two week holiday. I can count the number of two week holidays I've had since starting work (over 30 years ago). A lot of ths has been choice. When son was younger he commuted with me and went to nursery near work. So when I was on holiday this meant that my holiday was actually spent doing childcare. Not that I didn't enjoy the time with my son, just that it's not the easiest way to relax and recharge batteries. 

I also hate that moment when you're back and you have to trawl through a kazillion emails. Though to be fair current job is a lot better than last job. Though it's a balance, last job I'd have come back to around 600 emails, most of which were pointless or I'd been cc'd in. Nonetheless each would have required opening to check if they were important. My new job I'm likely to have around 50 emails, however, most of these emails will be meaningful and require input. I'm not sure which I prefer. Though no emaisl would be the best option.

I recall at time (because I'm very old) that when you came back from holiday all you did was get your intray and sift through the memos and letters that had come in in your absence. Took approximately 1 hour. Ahh those were the days!

It was a strange week, I had flurries of activity and longer unflurries of sloth. On Monday I tried to pack in as many chores as possible to keep the week free. So I finished my washing from the hols (lovely husband did the majority of the washing), weeded the garden and did a rapid run to Halfords to pick up more paint spray for the car. 

A million years ago I used to be on the radio. My producer from that time has recently moved back to Brighton and has set up a podcast studio. He had a grand opening of the studio which he invited me along to. I wasn't sure if he wanted to catch up with me, or he was hoping I'd be a punter - I suspect it was a bit of both. I'd love to do a podcast, but I just don't have the headspace for it. I also think it's something i would like to do with somebody else, but I don't think I know who that person is. Actuallythat's a lie. I know exactly who that person is. It's my friend in Glasgow who used to be my radio partner. However, unfortunately she is setting the world alight and isn't interested in the podcast idea - sad times.

Though those who know me well know I never give up and if that means playing the long game until people suddenly decide they agree with me - I'm very comfortable doing that. Plant seeds and sit and wait for 4 years. I could start to list the successes I've had with this approach, but the list would take me a month to write.

Before heading to the studio husband and I went out to lunch together in Brighton. That was really nice, we rarely get to do that and even more rarely is it just the two of us. Nothing posh, just a Wagamama's but still nice to spend the time together.

On Wednesday I did sweet FA. Just a bit of sunbathing in the garden. Then on Thursday it was my parents 60th wedding anniversary.  So I met them for lunch at the canals in Loxwood. I have to say the food we had at the pub was absolutely disgusting. Thank goodness the view was nice.

Friday morning I was down on the beach throwing stones for the dog to chase into the sea and this old bag came up and had a go at me because dog was barking. Now you may agree with what she said, but let's lay out the situation. The beach I went to was furthest from humanity (and the only beach around here you can take dogs on when the tide is high). When I turned up at the beach there was nobody else there. Plus this beach has 30 foot cliffs behind it meaning that noise has nowhere to travel - oh and it was 05:45am!

So this lady had walked past 4 broad beaches that were for humans only - headed to the only dog beach in the area and then proceeded to complain because there was a dog on it. I'm very proud to say that I managed to keep my cool and didn't swear at her or anything, but it was massively irritating and I've made a wish that she has extra spiders in her house this autumn!!!!!

Then on Saturday the whole of my family (except my brothers new girlfriend) joined my parents at the Ivy in Guildford for a more formal 60th wedding anniversary. I've always avoided the Ivy - largely because it's a chain. In my point of view it may pretend it's posh, but actually it's no more impressive than Prezzo or Zizi. So it was the first time I'd been to the Ivy and my assumptions were proved correct. The food was definitely sub par, nothing special about it at all. But to be fair it wasn't a huge price so maybe I'm being a bit unfair as it was as good as what I paid for.

Anyway, the upshot is that what with my fathers 90th and my parents 60th wedding anniversary I'm absolutely totally skint. I have not a penny left for my own 25th wedding anniversary or my son's 18th birthday. My purse is completely empty. I probably sound ungrateful. But it is what it is and if that makes me ungrateful then so be it.

What I discovered this week was the less I did, the less inclined I was to do anything at all. Definitely discovering the art of Sloth.

This week's picture is Guildford castle. Taken before we went into the restaurant as we killed time because neithe rmy son or my husband can go into a restaurant even a minute early without breaking into a sweat!