ONE WHOLE YEAR

Can you believe that today is our 1 year anniversary? No doubt this has been the catalyst of my recent sappiness towards Americo!

Unfortunately the focus of my love and good wishes is not with me today having had to head off for a business training course for two days. However he did call (BRIGHT AND EARLY) to say happy anniversary. Luckily for him we have two wedding anniversaries, 1 for the registry office wedding and 1 for the big white wedding we had, which is due next weekend. In reality this is the one we will ‘properly’ celebrate.

Actually, I mustn’t forget to remind Americo of what a lucky chap he is.. I married him twice!

Anyway, my recent mood of love and good will to all mankind has been blown to smithereens today. I was feeling all loved up after my early morning call but then………………… People happened. I had a slight altercation with my boss regarding his father.

Admittedly I am an Executive Assistant, with a difference. I have the glorified title of Business Manager but in reality I am more of a resistant assistant. I don’t really ‘do’ personal things and usually if these are requested they are more in the asking of a favour than instruction. Just the way I like it, I work for a pay cheque - my life is not my job and my job is most certainly not my life. Anyway, my boss and I have a certain understanding, I don’t do tea, coffee, dry cleaning or any of the other trivial things people cannot be bothered to do for themselves – I was hired for a job. I do, on occasion however assist with booking holidays, more as a sympathy gig than anything else, as he is technologically challenged.

Now, as I have done a fair amount of travelling I am quite adept at arranging flights, looking for the best deals and, in times of desperation, have a travel agent I am on friendly terms with. My boss will only use these particular skills when the details prove too complex i.e. flights for 10, hotels in foreign countries internal and connecting carriers etc.

His father however seems to believe that I am here, purely, to attend to his personal travel requirements. Calling up and expecting me to drop everything (my actual PAYING job) to cater to his needs….

A few months ago, I freely admit, I did a fairly major F.up. I was rushed, paperwork had to be collected and dropped off on timescales and who should call. You guessed it. My mind was in a million places and I accidentally booked his flight out of one London airport, returning into another. None of us realised the mistake .. until he went to catch the returning flight. To say I was popular would be an understatement, I apologised – profusely. In truth I seldom make errors of this kind, unfortunately though, they do happen.

Now logic would dictate that due to his lack of faith he would find an alternative person? So far this has not proved to be the case, if anything these calls to arrange hotels, flights blah, blah, blah have been more frequent. Often with me spending HOURS searching hotels, sending him quotes booking everything, only to then have him decide not to go ahead. I probably wouldn’t mind but I just don’t deal very well with certain things, one of them was a snide comment suggesting that “had I worked for him I would have been fired”. All very good and well, how about following up that statement by harassing someone else??

So today, amazingly he had booked his own flight into London, but then decided that he wanted to catch the earlier connection out. Ordinarily not a problem, sadly though when you purchase cheap tickets and then reschedule they are seldom as cost efficient as initially anticipated. I call, get the quote and call back advising of the, now exorbitant, price. All this via My Lord & Master. (I think we should start referring to him as something, else like MR.B, I am not really a lord & master kinda girl!!).

I then hear his father (MR.B snr?), mumbling some derogatory statement along the lines of “this isn’t going to be like that other flight she cocked up”. All civility flew out the window. I believe my words were..

“Indeed, if that is how your father feels please advise him to arrange his own flights.” To be honest that wasn’t all I said.. I am not known to be retiring with my opinions. In fact reading this sentence back it actually sounds quite friendly. To clear up. It was not, to get the right intonation add a heavy dose of sarcasm.

“oh, no, no – that isn’t what he meant at all.. it was just a joke.” Was my boss's reply

I think you shall find we will now all be laughing as tomorrow I intend to have a little discussion regarding this….

A MOMENT IN TIME..

Life is filled with moments, snippets out of time that can take your breath away and fill your heart to capacity. I am not overly sentimental on my blog, I take it for granted that readers know my love for Americo is constant …. EVEN during those times when he is particularly exasperating! Nevertheless, this morning contained one of those silly but joyful moments that will have others scoffing at my ridiculousness…. And what was this moment, I hear you ask? Weeell, we, for the first time in AGES, left the house together and walked down the street to Americo’s car, hand in hand. A perfect start to the day!

See? I told you it was absurd.

This gooey initiation to my day has severely affected my vitriolic abilities and left me feeling generous of spirit with good wishes to all mankind. However, the day is young and I am sure, given enough time, some twit will cure me of this temporarily serendipitous moment!

I read in the newspaper today of a gentleman in Darwin, Australia who discovered a 10-Foot python in his toilet.. I must admit to having a little giggle when I read this…

“A 10-foot python wrested from the plumbing of a toilet was harmless but it still possesses a mouthful of very sharp teeth and this one had an attitude to match, so if you felt something bite you on the bottom while you were on the toilet it would give you a hell of a fright,” Mr Peberdy said.

FULL ARTICLE

Harmless or not.. I think we can all safely assume that if some critter was lurking in the toilet and bit a bottom “one hell of a fright” would be the least of our problems! Although it does conjure up quiet an hilarious image of someone bouncing off the toilet with a ten foot python attached to their rear…

Yip, it is all about simple things today!

ALL WORK & NO PLAY...

… Makes Americo a dull boy!

I am beginning to wonder if having a husband is all a figment of my imagination. I seem to recollect getting hitched and standing up in front of the priest. I definitely remember huge amounts of money leaving the account and a big, drunken celebration. But final confirmation has come in the form of documentation substantiating the fact, I am indeed married, and this elusive character goes by the name of …. Americo. The thing is, at the moment he is working such long hours I barely remember what he looks like, I can however report that his secretary is great and we are considering meeting for lunch!!

My Dearest is under so much pressure at the moment he has virtually moved into the office and I am beginning to feel a little like the concierge at a hotel, “Sir your dinner is on the table and fresh underwear in the top draw – no messages except PS. I LOVE YOU”. A good night’s sleep has become a thing of the past and the brief moments I have with my husband are the most precious minutes of my day.

Fear not though, we have held a family Board Meeting and I am lead to believe that the current situation should improve with (HOPEFULLY) immediate effect. All Board Members of HTDS LTD understanding their various roles and responsibilities!!! ;)

In other news I have come to realise that my current relationship with nicotine will be coming to an end. It is with a heavy heart that I admit to this sad loss of faith in a dear companion. Ours has been a long and, dare I say it, enjoyable liaison but, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. So I have set myself a goal to become one of the many quitters …. when we decide to have children! I am viewing this decision in the column of ‘long term goals’. I will, of course, keep you posted on my progress – so far there is nothing to report.

I am sorry, I know that smoking is bad and truly I do not mean to trivialise it however, can a non smoker really understand the total enjoyment you get from having a puff? The sense of being, just a little bit naughty! For me it has become a kind of ritual, a moment in time that is my own. Bad, bad, bad.

Still, the first step to recovery is, I suppose, accepting the inevitable? Any helpful advice welcomed…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY .. to ME!

That is right folks - today is my birthday and, due to lack of planing, the day I returned to work from our holidays.

As you all know my husband is the most wonderful of men, and has currently confined me to the upper regions of the house so that he can pretend he planned for my birthday .. when in actual fact he is industriously wrapping up presents! Truly, no man will ever compete.

So, our holiday. It was fabulous, we had the most amazing time driving about Florida - attempting to stay on the RIGHT side of the road, which is actually the WRONG side of the road! We laughed .. a lot, ate - even more and generally had the most perfect time together that I am sure I must be the most smug married out there.

Must go now as it is present time.. more tomorrow!!

LOVE & MARRIAGE

A few years ago a friend of mine asked his father what the secret to a long and happy marriage was. His father’s reply was very interesting..
“I loved her more, the times she loved me less”. Sadly there is no hard and fast secret recipe for a good marriage, but I really like this theory.

Americo’s and my relationship goes through cycles, of course I love my husband but there are times when I feel such a total adoration for him that it hurts. Other times - he bugs the hell out of me!

This morning was definitely one of those days. We are going to my friend Pearl’s 30th birthday party tonight and then, tomorrow, onwards to a wedding for other friends of ours. Unfortunately the week has not panned out quite the way I foresaw it; mostly with me having everything organised in preparation of picking up my suitcase this morning and swanning out the house. As it was I ended up madly shuffling through clothes for both events whilst Americo lay in bed being more of a hindrance (to both the packing & my humour) than a help. Thankfully I managed to settle on our gear and close the case, however ….

…. This was definitely a moment in time where I loved him less! Luckily it short lived as I managed to find the amusing side of his general morning patheticness.

This week has been chaotic, my commander & chief is off on holiday, leaving today, so we have been on panic mode trying to get everything out in preparation for his absence (and my holiday at the end of next week). What I am trying to say is, I shall be back on Monday, possibly even with photo’s of yours truly looking suitably out of place clubbing in Reading… wish me luck! More so that you may think necessary, as I packed for my clubbing experience half asleep and have probably left some vital part of my wardrobe at home!

SLEEPING

Usually I sleep like a baby however at the moment I am obviously suffering from a guilty conscience as my nights of easy slumber are just not happening! Tuesday night I could not get comfortable and felt incredibly jealous of my snoozing husband lying next to me gently snoring. I am not sure why but I grabbed my pillow and dumped it on the other end of the bed (head to toe) where I promptly faded into blissful oblivion.

Last night I had high expectations of a great nights sleep, due to my previous night’s lack, sadly it was not to be. Americo climbed into bed and started reading his incredibly dull ‘Alan Greenspan’ book, which is so tedious he has battled through it for the last 2 years, luckily the end is nigh .. only 6 months to go in order to finish the last 10 pages!

Anyway I had just nodded off when Americo turned off the lights, grabbed his pillow plonked it virtually on top of my head, tucked the duvet around us before letting out a huge sigh and crashing. From then on I drifted in the half world that comes after bewitching hour, a suspended animation between the planes of living and dreaming. Then I started to squirm and itch and cough and generally be so restless even I could not be alone with myself a second longer! [NOTE – Americo slept on!]

Once again I grabbed my pillow but this time more drastic measures were required, I tiptoed down stairs to our spare bedroom (careful not to wake Americo), whereupon I collapsed in sheer exhaustion and immediately passed out.

At about 4 I hear a plaintive cry coming from upstairs – “Zan Zan, where are you?” – I call back my whereabouts. Two minutes later there is a thump, thump, thump as my tussled husband stumbles his way down the stairs. I vaguely crack open an eye as he arrives in the doorway giving me the most beautiful sleepy grin. And there he stands, looking somewhat hurt that I abandoned him in the middle of the night saying – “why did you go away”. Truly, how could I ever love anyone else??

Obviously I reply, shut up and go to sleep! So into bed he leaps, whacks his pillow down beside me and once again – passes out!