Friday 9th August 2024

I was awake just before midninght, my brain went into overdrive straight away.

So, in the end I decided I needed a break from work, so the plan was to contact HR first thing.

Once up and having done chores as per Fridays, I had to attend meetings pretending that the audit next week was going to go ahead. In the second one, I asked my boss to read the mail I had sent her, she did not. So, had to make a statement in the meeting to the effect I would not be in work next week.

Issue disarmed, and so it was agreed to cancel the audit, and I would send out the cancellation.

By half ten I was done.

Phew.

The background: in 2019 I had a small breakdown, and saw me going down the same slippery slope this week, so best to stop it before it got too bad.

Which I did.

Anyway, it goes without saying, I am fine now, and relaxing, decompressing.

And so, time to relax, decompress and assess my options.

I have a year and a week before retiring, and the question is: do I suck it up for a year or do something?

I did something, I requested a move, and now the wheels will move, probably slowly.

So, for now, I have a week off. Scully and I sat on the patio, I had a tripel, the sun shone and all was right with the world.

Jools came home, so we had a brew before the weekly quiz. My best result for some time, I came 6th, and then off out.

Ange swam the Channel on Sunday through Monday, as part of a relay, arriving in Calais just before two, and Ange was the swimmer in the water when they reached the coast.

We met them at the Fox in Temple Ewell, where they were going to treat us to dinner.

Temple Ewell is now a part of Dover, but used to be a village, and wasn't laid out with modern motor cars in mind. Its a maze of narrow lanes and house which abut onto the streets, the car park at the pub was full, so we parked on the main road and walked down.

Sean and Ange were there, so we had a drink then took our seats in our own room with just the one table, which overlooked the beer garden.

Each two steak meals came with a free bottle of wine, and so it was down to Sean and I to make them empty.

Its a tough job and all that.

Just gone ten, full of steak and lemon meringue pie, Jools drove us back home in the gathering darkness.t