Under the weather for a bit.

Song of the day: “Express yourself” by Madonna.

Got several Madonna’s on my music list at work, so after months of playing the same list over and over, this one does manage to get a little under my skin. Gotta take it off the list, ‘cause it is starting to tick me off. Hah.

Yeah, I know, I’ve been remiss again, but I admit to having an excuse for not writing. I haven’t been my best this past month. After Finland I’ve been pretty sick, needing to visit a doctor, of all things, which got me a prescription--that did help, but what with all the hard work, busy days, short nights, I had a bit of relapse this past week, meaning that now I’m home sick (had to call in this morning at work, which is a total pain) and have until Sunday to get well again. Nothing like a couple of free days to recuperate, right?

So, what’s been happening...I’m not sure. Lots of work, duh (am I boring, or what?) which means that five days a week, for an average of seven hours a day I’m not worth much of anything, once I get the necessary stuff at home done, cleaning, cooking, groceries) the day is pretty much over, isn’t it? Am planning to use the next couple of days, though, and darn the consequence. I can cough at the computer as easily as I can in bed, can’t I? Let’s see if I can get some writing, or at least some editing done, eh?

Well, I have been cooking, which is naturally a vital part of life. Nothing superbly interesting, but good nutritional values regardless. Had an awesome broccoli soup last week, a couple of really good spinach quiches, oats, nuts and cranberry cookies, a really super pasta funghi and a rather nice salad with gomasio (japanese sesame salt) rather than a dressing...was really lovely. You should try it some time. Mix some veggies of choice (a few hard ones, like carrot and cauliflower) add a dash of olive oil, some parsely, chives and then sprinkle a nice full teaspoon of gomasio over it. Delicious.

Have had the semi-official news that the remodel of my apartment building is starting in october, which means that until that time I’m set. It is after that that I’m going to have to start worrying about a place to live again. It could take a few more months before I would actually have to move after that, but still, not a nice thought looming over my head, is it. That’s how the anti-squatting works, however, and it is something I need to get used to. A pity that I’m a nester, isn’t it? Might need to work on that a bit. Won’t do any good to be a nester in this particular time of my life. Ah well...no sense in wallowing in that. It’ll sort itself out.

Finally got myself a sewing machine. Nothing fancy, mind you, but good enough for repairing clothes and the likes. Actually already used it to repair two of my work jeans, so, yay!!!

Which reminds me...you are not going to believe what happened to me at work. Seriously. There I was, doing my long days instead of big brother (he had his off, b*st*rd!!!) working on the sauna’s water testing, when our team leader came in to ask me if I could “give him a hand” with one of the clogged toilets...you’re sensing something, aren´t you, well, wait for it...so, I finished part of the test, and went on up, to find him in one of the bathrooms on a stepladder, and a variety of empty buckets around him. Took me all of five seconds to figure out what he wanted to do, so I suggested I get some cover plastics and the likes to protect the downstairs bathroom.

I sure know that I was in doubt about the plan even before I was asked to stand under one of the buckets and hold it up, and yes, it was a big disaster. You do not want to know what I was covered with, I don’t want to know what I was covered with, but I assure you that it took me three showers to feel clean again, and I had to dig stuff from behind m ears that I refused to look at.

Was so lucky that I had a spare pants at work, and that big brother had left his sweater there at some point, meaning that I could change clothes instead of walking around in a bathrobe like our team leader. Got the bathroom cleaned in about an hour. Washed down the walls and floor with bleech three times...gawd what a mess. I was not happy afterward, I tell ya. Also, everyone who heard about the incident was laughing, and so was big brother who was really happy not to have worked that day. Grrr.

Luckily I was in a much better mood the day after, because by the time I got home I was seriously grumpy.

Had a nice afternoon having beer at our colleague’s place. The weather was nice that day, so we sat on the balcony, talked and played with the neighbor’s kids who often visit at our friend’s place. Was a nice relaxing afternoon. I rarely have the time and energy, let alone the inclination, to spend the remainder of a workday that way.

Discovered that I have some sort of fine in Spain in my name, and not a clue as to what it is. Am trying to find out what it might be, how to resolve it, but it’s going to be a pickle. Spanish government is not known to be the most helpful toward those who do not speak the language adequately. I’ll have to keep you posted, I guess, it is just such a pain in the behind, not to mention expensive. Grrr.

And now something completely insignificant and totally “girly”: I found my favorite workout pants (again) at a sports store and they were on sale. They were so cheap I could get four for the normal price of one. Yay! I got four yoga pants! Which I’m wearing, like, all the time when I get home. Hah.

Okay, enough girly. Haven’t been doing a lot of workout sessions, partly because of my problem last month. Just didn’t have the energy, and just work was already draining me, so the workout kinda fell away...not surprisingly. Am planning on fully getting back to that asap...at the very least some serious stretches and the likes. Need the endorphins for sure.

Weather wise it has been somewhat horrid over here this summer. In fact it has been so very abysmal with rain that big supermarkets have been warning that there will be a shortage of fresh veggies if things don’t dry out fast. Imagine that; that much water! It’s a novel idea.

Well, that’s it for now. Not very glamorous, but at least you’re sorta up to date again. I’ll be back.