The best laid plans, and all that

[white_hart]

I made it 292 days into my year of daily posts, but the last few days have been utterly draining and I simply couldn't manage to come up with anything to say; I don't particularly want to talk about what's going on at work (and probably shouldn't even if I did), but it's blanked pretty much everything else out.

(My Facebook memories today told me that two years ago I got my regraded contract. Given what the last two years have brought, I think I've earned every penny of that higher salary, and then some*.)

Still, a 292 day streak isn't bad.

Anyway, I have nothing cheerful to say, so if you feel like telling me something that's making you cheerful, please do!

*I also sometimes think that maybe the higher grade job is just too much for me, but it's the same job, really, and none of the things that have made the last couple of years so difficult would have been avoided by me not being regraded.

Comments

[kotturinn]

Sorry to hear things are like that. Well done for managing 292 days - I can't even manage one a month.

Something that's made me happy. There's been a very nervous stray, almost feral, cat around here for a year or so. I've been putting out spare food from my clowder's provisions. Very, very gradually he's gone from invisible, to visible at the other end of the garden but run away if I looked, to sitting his ground, to getting gradually closer, to eating within a couple of feet of me. Major breakthrough in last week - I can touch him & gently stroke his head while he eats. Some intermittent growling but nothing serious. He's also spending more time in the garden. Mine have not shown hostile towards him, just cautious and a bit unsure so they're getting lots of reassurance too.

[white_hart]

Oh, how lovely! I hope he continues to feel happier and more secure around you.

[cmcmck]

I've posted a couple of recent things that might make you smile!

Hugs

[white_hart]

Thank you!

[ruric]

292 days is a heck of a run!

[white_hart]

I'm impressed I managed to keep it up for so long.

[tollers_and_jack]

Got a fun new medieval tat today! One pelican in her piety, coming right up (I'm sorry work is feeling frustrating and discouraging :)

[white_hart]

Oh, that sounds fabulous! I love medieval animal pictures.

[antisoppist]

If work is going to be an overload of nightmare stuff whatever, you may as well be being paid for it, but that doesn't stop it still being an overload of nightmare stuff, which is not a good thing.

I forgot a cheerful thing. I went to my choir's concert, and I thought I would be bored or depressed due to not singing in it but I enjoyed it a lot and am glad to have had the opportunity to see what we all look like, bits of which were very funny.

[white_hart]

This is true, and it isn't like anyone said "look, you're now a grade 9, so one of your key staff is going to be diagnosed with advanced cancer, and you're going to have to deal with a global pandemic", to say nothing of the current nightmare. But it has been two years of solid nightmare and it doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon, and I am utterly worn out now.

I'm glad you got to go to the concert, and enjoyed it! I do miss live music; we have tickets to see Billy Bragg next week but I don't think either of us really feels that comfortable with the idea of being in an enclosed space with lots of other people right now (and it's in the New Theatre, which is *big*).

[muninnhuginn]

292 days is a tremendous stint! And the posts are much appreciated: your photographs are always lovely.

[white_hart]

Thank you!

[kaberett]

I remain impressed and encouraged and grateful re your posting -- it is always really lovely to hear from you, even when it isn't actually every day. <3

Cheerful thing: A got me a Fancy Fountain Pen last week, as a graduation present. I promptly lost its (magnetic) finial... and then yesterday the pet robot vacuum cleaner found it, by which I mean "I turned it over to see what it was grumbling about and the finial was stuck to one of its ventral screws"! So that was pleasing. :)

[white_hart]

Yay for Fancy Fountain Pens, and especially for finding the lost finial!

[hunningham]

Cheerful things..
Our local posh chocolate shop has started selling dried orange slices dipped in chocolate. They are *wonderful* and after 40 years I have now got the point of chocolate-plus-orange flavour combo. This is what terry's chocolate orange is aiming at (and missing but a country mile). Well I never.

I am sorry you're having stressy time of it at work.

[white_hart]

Ooooh. That does sound delicious! I don't suppose they do online sales?

[hunningham]

They have an online shop, but it is limited to a selection of truffles.  Not that this is a bad thing, but they don't seem to be offering the orange slices.  But if you're okay about sending me a private message with your postal address, I'll walk in Tues/Wed and order some oranges for you. Happy to do this, and yes it's easy.  We've been sending little care-packages of dark chocolate to the lovely Father-in-Law throughout lockdown.

B

[white_hart]

That is very kind of you, and I will take you up on it, if you're sure you don't mind.

[white_hart]

They arrived today - thank you!

[gwendraith]

That's an excellent run of posts! I once did the photo a day for a year challenge. At first it was fun, then became chore and in the end it was a matter of pride that I finished it :)

I saw my younger son and son-in-law yesterday for lunch and had Pastéis de Nata for afters which always makes me happy :)

[white_hart]

Oooh, Pastéis de Nata!

[aurumcalendula]

292 days is a really good streak!

I made a key lime pie the other day (from the recipe here) that turned out pretty good!

[white_hart]

Oh, that sounds delicious!