We've hit peak Christmas

Last year, in an attempt to avoid the excessive crowds and pre-Christmas rush, we went on our annual journey to the Edinburgh Christmas market at the end of November.  That seemed to work: it was busy, but there was still some breathing space.  

We decided to do the same thing this year and so today we headed for Edinburgh in the hope that we might repeat the more pleasant experience of last November - but we were not prepared for what can only be described as "peak Christmas".  Despite it only being November, the place was jam-packed to full capacity, there were queues to get in, queues to get out, and it was all just....overwhelming.  If that's what it's like now, what's it going to be like in a couple of weeks?

I don't understand this obsession with bringing Christmas forward, year after year, to the point when Christmas season begins right after Halloween.  Forward-planning is one thing and I will admit that I have the bulk of my shopping done by the end of November - after all, who wants to be trailing round the shops in the middle of December? - but is there really any need for people to be putting up their trees, lights and decorations in the middle of November, for example?  Yes, that is happening this year.  There are people in my street who have done just that since over a week ago.   

Still, I'm not going to be too mean spirited about it.  After all, this year has been hideous and anything which can bring a bit of light into our miserable lives should be welcomed, I guess.  We'll just need to have a rethink next year and avoid a Saturday trip to the market.  Or if you can't beat them, join them - maybe Edinburgh should tap into the early-Christmas trend and open the market next October!!

What part of "I'm not coming back" don't you understand?

Disgraceful behaviour from my former TV provider this week.

I counted a total of 21 logged calls to my mobile over the past few days from the same number which turned out to belong to my former TV provider.  Luckily I have a call blocker on my phone which means that they didn't get through.

The calls are coming from the same company which put me through an inquisition just 3-4 months ago when I contacted them to advise that I was leaving to join another provider.  I was on the phone for almost an hour, during which time I was offered numerous half price deals to tempt me to stay, given that I had been such a loyal customer for so many years.  My response was that if my loyalty was so valued, why had I not been offered these deals beforehand?

My gripe is not with the workers in the contact centres who have scripts to read, certain questions to ask and above all, targets to meet.  But it would be nice if someone's decision was respected when they decided to move on.

There may come a time when I'll have had enough of my current provider.  But right now, I'm perfectly happy and have no plans to change.  Try telling that to my "telly ex" which continues to bombard me with "come back" special offers and the torrent of phone calls.   Just what part of "I'm not coming back" don't you understand?

What happened this week?

I came to the conclusion that flexible working may be one of the best things that's happened to me. It's a pleasure working longer days when there is a day off at the end of it.  I had my first day off this week and used my time wisely.  I did some long-overlooked jobs at home.  I went shopping.  I watched some of my huge backlog of TV shows.  Oh, and I even wrote some blog posts.  All in all, a big success.

I also learned that I can cope with these unseasonably below-zero temperatures which we have been experiencing over the past week.  I guess that the built-in menopausal "central heating", which usually has a negative impact on my quality of life over the summer months has been a positive factor in the winter (apart from over-heated public transport or department stores/shopping malls which remain a nightmare).  You would usually expect these temperatures in January, for example, but November has skipped the autumnal and gone straight to winter.  On the plus side, there hasn't been any snow, or sleet, but these days have also been sunny and bright as well, making the extreme cold much more bearable.

Yesterday I was also reminded about how much I hate shopping, something which I once used to enjoy.  The enjoyment has been replaced by tiredness, exhaustion and sheer panic when being confronted with the Christmas shopping crowds.  It would appear that the Christmas season is getting earlier every year as well.  I've seen several houses with all their lights and decorations up since last week.  Oh well, each to their own.

Thursday night: the food shopping trip

As a follow-up to my previous post, there was one outstanding task which I had not been able to deal with since my mum passed away: the Thursday night food shopping for the week ahead.  Over the past year and 4 months, I went food shopping in the mornings, at lunchtime, at weekends - anything but go back to that weekly routine, because it was something we did together, for many, many years, and I couldn't face doing it on my own.

It is quite strange really, as I've had to come to terms with much, much bigger stuff over the past year which I've dealt with whilst adjusting to the 'new normal' of living on my own.  Yet sometimes the smallest, most insignificant things are often the hardest to achieve.

It was only with the change in my working pattern that I had to re-examine my weekly routines and so I decided that it was time to return to Morrisons on Thursday night.  It was strange, but yet somehow familiar and reassuring, and I coped well with it.

But I cried when I got home.

The 9 Day Fortnight: Week 1

So this past week I started my new working pattern of longer working days, with shorter lunch breaks, with the bonus of two extra days off per month as a result.

How did the first week go?  Well, the best word I can use to describe it is...."effortless".  Next week I will have my first "non-working day" and am looking forward to it :) I am also immediately feeling the benefit as I'm rediscovering "leisure time" knowing that I'll have that extra day to catch up with the outstanding jobs at home.  So it's early days, but it's all good :))

Things I learned this week (part 2)

The news that my new working pattern had been approved - and it's due to start imminently - sparked a feeling of happiness which I hadn't felt for a long long time.  I will now be working the "9 day fortnight".  The hard work starts very soon as I will now need to work longer days with early starts, late finishes and shorter lunches - but it's all worth it because I'll have an additional 2 days off per month in addition to my usual annual leave entitlement.

After receiving the news, I was buzzing and spent the rest of the week on a natural high.  Which was fine for me, although it became very annoying for everyone else :) I will be on leave this Monday but the fun starts on Tuesday!

Things I learned this week (part 1)

On a wider worldwide scale: everything has gone to s**t.  If 2016 wasn't horrible enough already, Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton to win the US election.  I wasn't entirely surprised with the result - after the Brexit referendum result, nothing in the world surprises me: but it's just another reminder that conventional left vs right politics is over, and it's now all about intolerance vs compassion.  I still hope for the triumph of goodness in the world, but the past week hasn't given me much to be hopeful about.