Monday gloom and the book group

Am utterly suffused by Monday gloom today, groan. Maybe it’s the time of year. Or (more likely) probably just me. Double groaning. Am so bad today in fact that I am barely able to communicate with the outside world at all and have taken to opening my eyes wide and sighing as a means of conveying the angst. Words being a concept entirely beyond me at the moment. Somebody pass me the smelling salts. The Quiet Life pills and the Rescue Remedy just ain’t working, dammit.

Anyway, I have struggled through the working day by clamping firmly down on the need to run screaming through the campus and by focusing on the shadowy complexities of last week’s minutes instead. Which are many and varied. Triple sigh.

And I’d only just managed to work out some headings for that particular delight (working out the headings of a set of minutes gives me a false illusion of control, and really I’d be nothing without my false illusions …) when I had to go and minute the monthly steering group meeting as well. At least that’s more familiar territory and I know roughly what might happen. Less to write down too, thank goodness. But I really don’t like having two sets of minutes to deal with – it feels as if they’re weighing down my head and I’ll never be able to see over the top of them.

In the meantime, Ruth has very kindly put together my new document holder for me, which means I don’t have to balance my old one on top of two reams of paper. Mind you, it took a lot of brute force and cursing, and we quickly abandoned the instructions. Made no sense to anyone. Anyway, I’ve tightened up the hinges and it’s in the right position now. So hopefully my neck/shoulder problems will be better. Hey, we live in hope.

Mind you, I’ve managed to sneak in a Starbucks decaff cappuccino special and that has been total bliss. I think it’s something to do with the foam. It’s the only thing getting me through the day, slowly slowly …

Tonight, it’s the University book group and we’re looking at Per Petterson’s wonderful novel, Out Stealing Horses. My favourite of the group choices so far, so I’m looking forward to seeing what other people think. And who knows – by then I may even have worked out how to communicate with other human beings again. Hmm, don’t wait up is my advice.

Once home, I’m planning to slump in front of the TV, though I fear there will be some ironing to do. Then again, when is there not?

Today’s nice things:

1. Illusions of control
2. Starbucks coffee
3. The book group
4. TV.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website - battling through the day ...