Unanticipated Irritation

I originally asked for last Friday and Monday off from work back in February, when I committed in my own mind that I would go to Rhinebeck. I didn't need the time to travel, since we were leaving Saturday and coming back Sunday, but I knew I would need it for prep and mental health, especially having been away the previous weekend too. (If I don't get enough down time, even should that be because I am doing lots of fun things, it can get sort of ... cranky in my head.)

One of the other people in my department was also going to be away for part of October, taking the family to Disney, but that wasn't a major problem since the third person would be here.

You know, the one they let go in August? That they haven't replaced yet? Him. Yeah.

So, my boss and I talked about this a few weeks ago. I told her that I would be traveling on October 9th and 12th, and unable to come in, but that I could possibly, if necessary, come in for part of the day October 16th or 19th if really necessary. I agreed to this mostly for brownie-points reasons, and she told me how much she would appreciate it, and that she would make the time up to me later.

Of course, then she had kittens about getting me trained to back up Ms. Disney in her main function, as I wrote about a few weeks ago, and I felt a little less happy to do her this favor. But anyway. I did end up working about three hours last Friday, and another three yesterday, which was only kind of an annoyance, and in exchange for which I will get this Friday off.

But here's the thing: because I was here at least part of the day on both my days "off", I don't feel like I really had the time off. Yet what I was doing was only dike-plastering, the very urgent, can't-wait stuff, and not all the usual work. And that meant that today, when I came in, I had enough work that it seems like I have been away, and now I'm paying for it, and yet ... well, it's a complicated feeling, and only that alluring three-day weekend kept me at all cheerful today.

And then I went to Target after work and spent more than I think I ever have in one visit, and now I have a big stock pot! And new gloves that are kind of mittens, and so warm. And a ton of things that were on my list.

And no energy left.

Tomorrow night, I'm going to make stew in the new pot. And watch the Bruins game, which I really want them to win. And maybe I will get to recent events here. In parting, let me show you a smidge more.

Apple Festival, when the storm was clearing:

Rhinebeck, home of happy sheep: