It was a normal busy week last week, as my colleagues head towards the end of the financial year with loads of matters they wanted settled, if not finalised. So on Friday night, when I left the office, I got home, and instead of logging in again at my home office like I normally did, I placed all of my work stuff properly laid out on my desk (ready for the new week next week) and headed out to the oval to join Tress and the little fellow.
I needed to just go and soak in the therapeutic atmosphere of walking on large green spaces that is the Mahoneys Reserve, and seeing happy pooches running around and playing with each other. The little fella looked happy as he bounced around and played with his friends, and I just walked around, letting go of all the work pressure that had built up.
Tress and I then headed to the local Chinese place for a bite to eat. We had wanted something special to sort of celebrate our wedding anniversary that happened earlier in the week, but the smallest crustacean they had swimming in the tank was supposedly well over 2kg which was way too much for us. So we had something more modest (and manageable) but equally enjoyable, as I thought to myself 32 years is probably not special enough for me to blow a huge lobster on just the two of us.
On Saturday, we slept in, took a leisurely walk with the little fellow, then headed out to prepare stuff for a little dinner party we had organised, for later that evening in our home. We had invited 3 couples from St Alf’s for a hot pot dinner (“steam boat”), and Tress had stared buying stuff to make the stock. We had a quick lunch at Brandon Park, then headed to The Glen to pick up the foodstuff that were to go into the hotpot.
After we got back, I felt a sudden tiredness – my energy level appeared to have plumbed, and I said to Tress I wanted to take a snooze on the couch, which was highly unusual. I crashed on the couch, curled up as a baby, and tried to sleep. After a little while I thought I should get up. Afternoon naps often give me a headache and there were loads to do for the dinner party anyway, so I got up and got on with it. Getting busy helped, but the sense of tiredness lingered.
We took the little guy for yet another walk when most of the work had been done, and then came home to put on some finishing touches before our guests arrived. We had a great time of eating, chatting and laughing, and the desserts our guests brought were wonderful. It was really nice spending time over a hotpot on a cold winter’s night, getting to know those folks whom we have seen so many times at St Alfs.
Tress and I went to bed late that night – well past midnight – after we cleaned up and put stuff away. So our truncated sleep did not help my general sense of wellbeing but somehow, my spirits were up and the next day, our normal routine resumed. I took the fellow for our usual walk after brekky, went off to St Alf, and then came home to have the leftovers from the dinner party for lunch, before we took the little fellow for another walk and I did the week’s cook.
As we settled down last night, I felt I could at last put my feet up for some physical rest. As I went for my run this morning, I was grateful for a wonderful weekend, but Tress and I have both been thinking about looking out for something in Canberra and that has been on my mind. I am grateful for that too.
Ante 