2024.
Ten days.
Public holiday.
Anniversary of when my workload suddenly intensified with the sudden retirement of a workmate (2023 came out swinging).
How about a work fire?
Not a big one - 2024 is quite subtle - iron fist in kid glove deal - a little one. A laughable one.
Two hours - felt like 10 - in the afternoon sun carpark waiting for clearance from the firies. Well, it was a little one - in the plant room- who knew buildings still had to deal with such antiquated concepts? So, a little one that had put itself out before the firies even got there. Just need the all clear from someone else. Maybe the energy company?
I am actually pretty sure that the office manager knew what was going on, but we were the rabble in the gutter on the cemetery side of the carpark awaiting directions while watching workmates wave wildly at total strangers out of scientific curiosity (forgive us, we work in finance).
Energy company handballed to electricians who climbed the roof and scratched their heads.
Such a little fire, but combined with staff shortages, back from compulsory office closure and end of month - well, working from home - in a heatwave - and my foresight in booking in appointments close to work backfired spectacularly.
Still, air quality is such an important factor in the whole breathing thing, really.
Day 3, and the hospital called to tell me that my health fund won't cover my upcoming operations, as their 12 month waiting period was imposed on all pre-existing conditions and the "2 months if something new" codicil was to do with symptoms, not 🚫 diagnoses. I thought that I had kept ahead of the curve but they probably could call the fact that I have had imperfect vision all of my life a known factor and therefore I may have to delay being able to see clearly delight until August.
The court is still out on that one. I have put in more paperwork.
And so what could Thursday throw me?
How about the car service. In a way this has ongoing repercussions. Amongst them, the "Sat Nav update" as part of the service has resulted in an advice message on starting "Please insert" some computer bit or other. I can still drive it - just have to find my way anywhere using my memory or the old-fashioned phone technology. (Whatever happened to the Refidex? What was it called where you were?)
Friday I went into town to get my annual mammogram and ultrasound for the BC surgeon. Did I have my last scan disk, the radiographer asked. Apparently she was the one who did the ultrasound on my cyst years ago.
While I was there, I found out what my hospital fees would be should the health fund say no. Do-able but would strain some circumstances. I then rang the other players in the game. Each would fall into the "do-able but would strain some circumstances" category by themselves, but combined...
All through this I was working full-time, trying to be half my workmate who was sick all of the first week back, half my rosterer who was on leave, and half my job - while another team mate was half workmate, half me and half herself - while the newbie - well, you get the picture. And from home.
During a heatwave.
On school holidays.
A weekend was had. There were bits.
Another week started.
The whole team was back but all still working from home.
We had 2 days of very intense work. Very. Intense.
Today - I have had today and the next 2 days booked off for months.
Tomorrow is V's birthday.
Friday I am meant to be going to see Mum and Dad. With Paris, she tells me.
Today was that other day.
Today I slept in.
Today I washed.
Today I budgeted.
Today we shopped like champions - but not glorious champions, more the well-orchestrated, restrained, fist-pumping in-and-out-of-shops-and-home in record time type of champions.
Today I made a beautiful timetable for this year's school. My poor child has never known what it is to create such a thing.
Today I will leave you with this:
