The washing machine and dryer are running overtime, and yet another weekend is rolling to a stop. Early tomorrow I will jump into a colleague’s car and head to a hotel once more. I don’t think anybody would begrudge my feelings over it all; it’s Christmas time, I have three small children, and I am missing it. I’ve had enough of it.
Last week I spent one of the two night spent in the hotel working into the early hours. I fell asleep at the desk in my room after eating food from room service because I didn’t even have time to go to the hotel restaurant. Sure, it’s good to see the client happy with the product of your effort, but at what price? I’m reminded of what happened to the Apple Mac team in 1984shortly after development finished, half the team walked away, burned out.
I have to balance all of these arguments with the fact that I have an interesting job, it pays better than most, and it puts a roof over our head.
Must. Think. Happy. Thoughts.
Ok. Here’s a happy thought. Last night we were invited to a good friend’s house for a pre-Christmas party. As is normal in our house, we ended up being pulled in two completely different directions; while W went out to help Santa for the night (collecting for charity around the streets with the Sleigh, dressed as an elf), I took the children to our friend’s. I probably drank far too much Mulled Wine, and ate far too many mince pies, but the kids had fun. Lots of people arrived that I knew, and when W finally arrived late in the evening, we had a blast catching up with friends we had not seen for years.
At some time after 9 last night (after waking the children from the places they had crashed) we found ourselves tip-toeing through the back streets towards home, carrying little ones on our shoulders while avoiding ice filled puddles.
I woke up at 8 this morning, and thought I could hear W snoring. I rolled over to cuddle up, and discovered a tuft of blonde hair poking from the bedclothes next to her. Little Miss Six snores louder than an elephant.
Downstairs I discovered the rest of the children in their pyjamas watching cartoons, surrounded by cereal bowls.