Not one of the best days ever

Things aren't going so well today. First, I'm still feeling a bit tired and not quite 100%, and to top it all off I can't actually do any exercise which means I'm spending the entire evening at home by myself with a load of things to do and an all-consuming desire to sleep. I can't go to bed until I've at least eaten supper (see below), done my hand washing for the week, and had a bit of a stab at working out which of our wedding photographs we want to put in our album.

Second, the seal around the edge of the oven has partially fallen off. This means that my planned evening meal will take longer to cook than the already almighty 40 minutes, as the oven will not get up to 200 degrees, and will take longer to get to whatever temperature it can get to. Still, I guess that means I get to watch one of the three DVDs that arrived in today's post from easycinema.com.

Third, along with the DVDs in the mailbox was a note from citylink (a courier company) advising me that they had attempted to deliver something I had ordered and could SWEAR that I requested to be delivered by normal post. They will try again tomorrow. Or I can pick it up during their opening hours. Like most people I know I have a full-time job, and obviously their opening hours are when I am firmly ensconced at my desk.

Fourth, I just booted up my computer to find the order details and contact the company from whom I ordered the goods, only for it to go all BSOD on me. It has been doing it on and off since the manufacturer (Tiny) went out of business, and is usually salvageable. However, it's a sign that something I've installed recently (my camera? Photoshop?) isn't meshing properly or something and until I sort out the problem the damned thing is going to carry on falling over. So much for sorting out the delivery issue and getting my Ten Minutes of Torah done. My friend the Creator of Robots said that there's not much point buying new computers until Vista is installed from the outset and not as an add-on (or something - we had consumed a large amount of great food and wine by the time the subject came up so my memory is not entirely clear), so I don’t even want think about replacing the thing until summer. By which time it could well be a tangled heap of plastic and metal, embracing the bonnet of the car three stories below my study window.

Fifth, Mr W is working away from home for the rest of the week, which is just the crowning jobbie on the doormat.

Sixth, the company I'm currently temping for are being as slow as possible about making a decision about whether to make me permanent or not. So I've applied for some other jobs, all of which will require driving to work (watch out, world), and not just driving but serious, traffic-blackspot, driving. And, being the eternal optimist that I am, I'm convinced I won't get any form of permanent job and will end up without a job at all. That will do wonders for my self-esteem; I'll be panicking about being a leech on Mr W's salary and all the usual insecurities. I won't even be able to buy toiletries without remembering that it's his hard-earned that I'm spending. I have a complete abhorrence of being in anyone's debt (perceived or otherwise). Never mind the fact that upon leaving my two recent jobs I've found employment within two or three weeks, I'm petrified Mr W might think that he's got an albatross instead of a wife.

*and breathe*

Right, time to pro-actively sort some things out before I end up getting all worked up and going to bed without having achieved anything....

Problem numero uno - I shall just sling the veggies in the oven and have 40/45 minutes to do stuff before they are ready for eating. I will watch the Breakfast Club (which I've never seen) whilst eating; vegging out in front of the big screen will be my reward for having got the washing on, done the washing up, cleaned the sink, done my Ten Minutes of Torah and done the handwashing.

Numero, um, two - undercooked veg never killed anyone (I hope this is true). Veggies are now in the oven. We have a microwave if everything really is still raw after 45 minutes.

Three - will pick up my delivery on Saturday morning before synagogue. Job done. I've "spoken" to the courier (bablefish - gone through their incredibly tortuous and confusing automated system and pressed some random buttons), and have managed to communicate that I'll be picking the package up personally.

Four - using Mr W's machine and slinky new keyboard. It's a better position for my back anyway.

Five - can't be helped. He might call me later. I'll be too busy to notice if he doesn't (yep, believe that one...).

Six – I don’t actually need this job. It was a temporary thing for a month before our wedding, to keep me from turning into a wedding-obsessed freak, and to increase my experience in the sector. I'll get a different one, in the same sector (in which I now have over a year’s experience which is some sort of milestone) and might even earn much more cash.

Now if you'll excuse me I've got to go and read Vayechi.

[written 20:00 10 January 2007]