Weeknote 33
Leaving the writing of these to Sunday isn’t maybe the best but I was dead on my feet at the end of my week on Thursday and then got distracted by weekending.
I’m still not doing wonderfully in the sleep department. The hyperactive element of my ADHD means that as I wake up in the night over and over and over, I’ve got the same thought thread running that just picks up where it last left off. It’s frankly irritating and exhausting.
I’ve also been feeling quite physically hyper, which is unusual. Heat, rain etc have stopped us getting out with the dog and I haven’t been able to tire myself out as much as I need to physically.
Work continues on the house. The back wall has been rebuilt beautifully, all the mortar raked out and next up is remortaring it.
Inside, the plasterboard is going up and we’re really getting a feel of our now individual spaces. We’ve picked the colours for each office and the kitchenette in-between. No, I’m not telling yet.
Hoping this week will see the rest of the link go up. Skylights are on order. And we need to pick a whole bunch of doors next.
Walking therapy continues, got too crunchy this week and I’ve had a grim time this weekend with the emotional aftermath. YEARS of therapy to try to deal with all this and yet, here we are, nearly 50 and still dealing with this shit.
“They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do. They fill you with the faults they had. And add some extra, just for you.”
This week at work
Had a glorious day on Monday with next to no meetings and time to actually crack through the majority of my to-do list that had been building for weeks.
Tuesday we presented back to one of our clients on how we’re going to fix something we didn’t quite get right the first time (this happens sometimes, and we’re making it right). We were well prepped for a particular direction of travel. That got derailed in the first 15 minutes and we had to do some frantic, behind the scenes pivoting. How did we used to do this stuff without online backchannels mid-meeting?!
We nailed it in the end. And actually the derailment by the client was good. They’d reflected on things and used the opportunity to come up with a much better approach.
Spent a couple of hours with the community of Major Projects folk this week which is always nice. A lot of talk about the riots and how we can support our teams, many folk are still being impacted. And realising we need more tools in our toolkit to do this - listening, creating safe spaces and find approaches that support individuals.
Prepped for a workshop next week in Cardiff with one of our big Welsh clients. Approach didn’t quite land with them, so a rapid Friday morning replanning was done. Fingers crossed this is it now. Excited to get this one moving though.
Made a new to do list.
Four days to go and then a long week off.
This week not at work
I’m absolutely loving the vibe of BlueSky - like Twitter days of old. The reconnection with people, meeting new people, the non-toxic atmosphere. How long will it last?
Dilys continues her hyrdo-therapy and continues to make excellent progress in recovery from IVDD surgery.
She had a 5.4 mile walk on Saturday - through the woods, part of Offa’s Dyke, road and home. We were all a bit broken after that.
Looks like something - grass? insects? both? - are giving her the severe itchies on her paws. So off to the vet on Saturday morning to pick up something to make it stop.
We had a rare night out together, we went down to Cardiff and Heaney’s for dinner. If you’ve never been, you really should. And do the full taster menu, obvs.
And a Sunday spent starting to plan what we need to do to prep for Costa Rica at the end of next month and trying to get the garden back under control.
What I’m watching/reading
Absolute crap.
Love is Blind UK. Which is every bit as bad as the US version. Complete with gold cups and music I’m sure only exists for Love is Blind shows.
Chicago Med because I need something with a light storyline and not hard on the brain.
I finished Jasper Fford’s “The Constant Rabbit”. I wasn’t massively keen on it but the ending still had me sobbing.
Next up is The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley which seems to be the book of the summer for most lists.
What’s blooming
The pink anemone are coming into their late summer own. Roses are still going. Hydrangeas are looking great (and I’m OBSESSED). But pots and annuals remain a damp squib.
I’ve had some beans - enough for a couple of dinners.
Plans for next year are brewing in my head. After 2 summers I know where I need to grow my veg. That is going to involve some serious work - and can’t happen until after the house work is finished.
We’ve also got the opportunity to rethink the whole front of the house now that it’s been basically destroyed to rebuild the wall at the back of the studio.