Week 8: Fences, Handmaids and many things

(Feb 19 – Feb 25)

This week I finally started watching The Handmaid’s Tale, which feels somehow significant. It’s been on my watchlist since last year, but I’ve never been quite ready to watch it. Also, there’s been plenty of other TV to keep me busy. Well, turns out I had a gap in my schedule this week, so we’ll see how it goes. More next week.

Monday

I take the day off as there are people coming to replace the back fence. A person arrives at 8am and starts work. I take the Kinderbesten to school and do a bit of shopping then get a phone call: the fence guy has had to leave abruptly due to his sister being in an accident. I’m certainly glad to hear that the company let the fence guy go when his family needed him, but they don’t know when they can reschedule the work. When I I get home I find a sizeable chunk of the old fence has already been removed, which means the cats are confined to quarters for the foreseeable future.

Tuesday

The fence guy returns, much to my surprise, and work recommences. I’d already booked this day off since it’s the UK folks’ last day before flying out. It ends up being a day of much driving: driving to school; driving to PEAC; driving to the station; driving to the airport. It’s also a day of much waiting: waiting until it’s time to have dinner; waiting until it’s time to go the airport.
Last days of holidays are always strange. So much … logistics.

Wednesday

I have my PDR at work. We call it Performance Development, because it is. Other places call it Performance Management, because that’s how they do it. We actually call it Contribution Development Review now (which even I think sounds profoundly wanky), but it’s much the same thing.
I come out of mine with a clear view of what I’ll be doing for the next year, which is kinda the point. It’s mostly what I was already planning to do for the next year, but it’s still good to have it in writing.

Thursday

I wake up at 3am, and it takes me at least an hour to get back to sleep. I’m supposed to be heading out to see Black Panther in the evening, when all I really want to do is hide and go to bed. Luckily the worst of the exhaustion passes and I’m fit and ready to enjoy the film. Which I do. It’s a fairly straightforward superhero origin tale on the surface, but gains many different levels thanks to its cultural significance. Plus, it’s extremely well made, which always helps.

Friday

I had a good day at work today. That’s it.

Saturday

It’s my weekend with the Kinderbesten, so I’ve decided to do a little more than simply loaf around, watch TV, and play PS4. We’re joined in the morning by a friend, who brings his own Kinderbeast. The Kinderbesten play while we chat about films, comics, and whatever else comes to mind, while drinking coffee and eating pastries. Then another friend comes over for homemade pizzas, wine and some quality PS4 time. A very sociable day, but the entirely bearable sort.

Sunday

I make a cameo appearance at a friend’s birthday do, which turns into a relaxing morning with tea, cakes and many animals. However, the Kinderbesten grow restless eventually and I disappear with them before they get too much. We team up to wash the car when we get home–none of us really want to do it, but the car really, really needs it. It’s a good job, well done.

Things I did buy

$100 in spurious expenses this week, but all are mostly defensible. I’ve been wanting a pair of mark II Converse for years, but have shied away at the price. However, finally seeing $120 shoes for just $45 is a bargain I cannot walk away from. I’ve also been holding out to continue reading Paper Girls and Wicked + Divine, and lo and behold Comixology has a half price sale on all Image comics. So that’s a done deal.
Finally, I’ve been meaning for months and months to get some reusable pouches for the kinderbesten’s lunchboxes, so we don’t have to create so much waste (and so I can probably reduce my weekly yoghurt budget). After lots of faffing around, and a few hours research, I finally ordered a bunch of stuff from Sinchies. Pretty excited.

$32 reusable food pouches
$25 comics
$45 Converse

Watched

Read

Two nights spent reading my book. Not the best, but damn if I was too tired for reading most of this week.

Eaten