Wednesday 23 April 2008

It's Been a Hard Two Days



Please send your auntie some vitual love.I have had some trouble the last few days.

The pictures you can see are of The Beautiful House, it's our holiday villa/kid's inheritance/pension fund.
I had some guests arrive on Monday night but they had no hot water, there is a leak in the solar tank on the roof.
Here we go again, last year was a veritable merry go round of repairs, so I authorise the repair at the cost of 500 big ones. Then I get told there is no water in the pool, many many emails are flying between myself and the agents who are paid shed loads of money to deal with such issues as I am thousands of miles away. The agents say I did not tell them to fill the pool, I just told them to get the villa ready for the guests and collect them from the airport !!!! Silly me, why would the guests want the pool filled up ?
Aaaargh...

Then I find out that the venue I have been using for the last 6 years to run my parenting classes is cutting my slots by half and increasing my rent by £20 to £50 for a 2 hour slot.
Aaaargh...

Then I have to attend a meeting at 9 am this am, which means I have to get up early to fit in the run, I'm out the house by 7.25 to run, it's raining and me no likey the rain :( I get home, shower and change, drive to work, can't get a parking space, eventually get parked (creatively but miles away), walk in rain to meeting, am 15 minutes late, find meeting has been postponed, get back to car, still raining and find I have been stickered for my creative parking.
Aaaargh...

Then I have a nice bit where I find reasonably priced flights to the villa for half term, oh goody, kids will have to miss 1 day of school ( it's a Monday where I don't teach) then realise Eldest Beautiful Daughter has a Maths GCSE that day, now we can't go, as she can't be left home alone for 7 hours never mind 7 days.
Aaaargh...

Now I am going to reframe this in a positive way,

I am lucky enough to have a roof over my head never mind a holiday villa.

The hot water tank didn't damage any of the villa, it got fixed and guests were only without hot water for 1 day. The pool got filled immediately and I can offer to refund some of their money for the inconvenience. It's fixable.

I can just about afford the increase and today I looked at alternative venues that will be not quite so good but def cheaper.

Because I am at school anyway I decide to use the time effectively. I went into our staff office (for the very first time ever, and I've been working there since September) and I did loads of lesson prep with nice colour handouts and all kinds of stuff. My head of department came in and I had the 2nd conversation ever with them and it was really good. I've been promised more training and they gave me a desk, a drawer in the filing cabinet and told me to help myself to stationery, free board pens and post it notes, how good is that ?

I can go out to the villa in the summer, the exams will be over and we can just relax.

A few years ago, these kind of stresses would have reduced me to tears and I'd have lain awake at night worrying about them but after all that's happened since 2006 I've realised it's not good to sweat the small stuff. I really am much more able to see the positives in situations now. Pollyanna is definitely shitting herself

6 comments:

lisa q. said...

love your 'reframing'...thinking of you! it'll all be okay!

indigo16 said...

You are way nicer than me, I left my eldest for 7 days whilst I jollied it up in Wales, all be it with her Nan. Now she loves me more than ever, but I am really dreading her exams more than I ever did mine when I was her age. VERY jealous of your Killers ticket, we tried and failed to see Muse at the Albert Hall now we are trying for some 'big weekend' thing. Do these bands not realise that we have to work to do instead of clicking frantically on a bloody computer all day trying to buy two measly tickets?!

ME said...

Excellent attitude. It's easy to get caught up in the stress, but better on us if we take a deep breath and make a plan of attack.

Dusty Spider said...

Well done you for deciding to sort it out instead of wallowing in the unfairness of it all! That's a great attitude to have. You can still have a hug though! Flick x

DAB said...

Right me lady, my suitcase is packed I'm on my way to your lovely villa.....
.
Strange but true, I've done a reflective post today about being the star of your own show....
.
In my book you are a Superstar :) TFX

auntiegwen said...

Thank you for the virtual love, ladies, my weekend really tried to beat the hard 2 days !!!! So officially I have had a BAD week.

I am still reframing and looking for the positives, it'll get better soon, I know.

Love to you all xxxx