Thursday 31st May 2018

Last day of the month and over halfway through the week. And also the day on which my boss would give me my annual assessment.

So, exciting stuff. But even better was that was to wake up in a nice comfy bed, get up, have a shower then after dressing go down for breakfast, without having to make it myself.

Outside it was another glorious day in Aarhus, I was told they have had four weeks of endless summer sunshine, record May temperatures, and there was no let up. Back home they had storms and torrential rain every days I was away.

Anyway, I felt fighting fit and ready for the day ahead, even with it going to bring 410 unread e mails to wade through, and doubly quick as there were urgent questions to be asked about many of them. Oh well.

There was an orchestra in the restaurant having breakfast; each had their chosen instrument with them, making me think if I learned to play, it would be a tiny viola, rather than say, a cello. Even a guitar requires a hard case and people walking round with it on their back, like a sherpa ready to go up Everest. They seemed happy enough, and all left to catch their bus before I am ready to leave. But then a colleague comes into the room; SHELLY!

I had not seen her for two years, she has had some bad luck in the passage of time, and was now back on her feet having just moved into a new house with her new partner. We hug and both say how great it is to meet, and I go out with her to the front of the hotel shp she can have the first gasper of the day.

Phew, that's a turn up!

I have to go to work, as she has to go for breakfast, so we part and I climb into my Audi Q5 Quattro, overpowered and huge for just me. But also fun.

In the office I set up at someone's desk and open up Outlook. Let the fun begin.

Mails, calls and meetings until lunch, then more mails after lunch until it is time to go to the building where the quality team is based, where I find it's another cake day, with it being someone's birthday and another is leaving. Both events call for cake. Apparently.

Birthday cake is strawberry cake, which is very nice indeed, I have had that before.

Also I can catch up on gossip and fee like a part of a department I visit maybe less than six times a year.

My boss finds an office and so we go in and the mudslinging begins. Only it doesn't, good natured and I think he is generous, so I am happy too.

At the end, there is only the cleaner in the office, so we say goodbye and pack up, so I can drive back to the hotel, and again without killing a cyclist. Always a good thing.

I chill out in the room, and to be honest the warm sunshine outside caused my bites to itch, so I try to cool the room down further and listen to the radio until it was time to go down to the restaurant where I order exactly the same I did the night before: two IPAs and burger and fries. And both were great.

Back in my room I find there is a game on TV; Czech Republic v Holland, not very good, ends 1-1, so I get me to bed, as tomorrow, early start and home!