And so another week ends

I love this (unedited except for slight cropping) photo!

The bougainvillea is actually faded like the photo. It looks a bit like I feel - tired and a bit less vibrant.

This week was both good and bad:

Good

1. Nanny S was back on Tuesday and my house is clean again. She says she's "fine" after her dad's death but of course, she can't possibly be.
2. I finished my first project in the new job. All that means is that on Thursday, I moved up one floor to start work on another project. The good news is this PM is a lot more direct and a lot less of a micromanager.
3. I finished my August photos, editing and most importantly, printing. I still have one hour left to obsessively categorise and sort.
4. It's warm in Jhb but I'm still sleeping in flannel PJs.
5. I have probably spent R1700 on my Santa Shoeboxes this week. Actually some clothes were for my own kids so I should do a proper tally. It's never felt this good to spend lots of money. I've sorted the stuff into makeshift boxes but now the proper packing begins. I'm aiming for about 3 every week since I have to wrap the shoeboxes first (the worst part of this thing but my plastic boxes are not big enough and I don't want to shortchange the kids just because of my laziness :)).

Not so good

1. I heard some news about me (!) at work which threw me quite a bit. That means I had some "chats" and I have to have some "conversations" this week to sort it all out. Does the drama ever end?!
2. I went to the gynae on Friday and surprise surprise, I have not one, but TWO cysts, around 3.5 cm each. He knew this from my bloodwork which was 942.... the normal range is between 300 - 500. 
3. "Are you stressed?" he asks. "Of course, I am". I know that when I'm stressed, this always shows up in my body (in 2011 when my website was hacked 3 times in one month) I also had a ginormous cyst on the one side. I fixed the stress and the cyst disappeared then. This time I'm doing my best to remedy that too but in the meanwhile I have to go back in 3 months.

Bad

1. The kids are being really stroppy lately. Is this 4? They sometimes flat-out ignore us and the "I'm not your friend" is going to do my head in. I HATE IT!
2. The lovely Mrs FF is leaving on Thursday to go have her baby in the USA. I feel very sad even though we only see each other every couple of months. Maybe it's because we email all the time? Maybe it's because it was so sudden for me? Maybe it's because I had it in my head to do some visiting and photo-taking beforehand? Maybe it's none of my business? :) When she returns she'll have to bring me some Staples stationery...together with her gorgeous, squishy baby.

For fun

1. I decided that what I would really love is a job that pays me to have lots of meetings talking to people and communication - like write/ blog/ do social media :) Wouldn't that be lovely?
2. On my September list, I wrote at the bottom "and a new job would be just awesome!" so let's all pray hard for that perfect job to be created just for me.
3. We are a spicy family. Are you? 

How was your week?

Five on Friday

Wow, thanks for all the comments on the security post. I love reading about how issues like this pan out all over the world.

1. Well, I made it to my course today and it was goooood. *ahem* it's on Emotional Intelligence and is part of my training to be a mentor to others. Seems like it came in the nick of time as I had two issues in my inbox to deal with today - isn't life fun?!
2. Connor and I are better. Let me clarify - we are both eating without V or D :) but my tummy is still doing some crazy noises after a meal so we hope and pray that all is indeed well. However, D is now not well. *sigh*
3. I've just spent 3 hours sorting out my study - my new bookcase arrived today and I've packed everything in there so it's full. It actually still needs to be painted... I bought a raw pine one because I want it a funky colour... but since the house painters are gone (and I don't want them back - let's just say we didn't communicate very well), this will probably take another year. Hmmm, an item for my 37 things list :)
4. There are 3 birthday presents wrapped and ready on the table next to me - it feels good to have that out of the way. I try to do most things by batching so thought as I was preparing tomorrow's gift, to do the other two too.
5. So there's this friend. I invited her kids to the babies' party and she declined. No problem. Then I invited them to our party and I just hear nothing. I refuse to follow up (that's my new rule, by the way, after the babies' party). Do you think she's blowing us off?
   

On a scale of 1 - 10, my week's been about a 5 or 6, very good with the business, bad with the sick, and kind of average all round. I really could do with a good week next week.

How was your week?

P.S. 140 unread posts in GR = a very long time to catch up...