day off...

I know, I know... pretty obvious that a day off is a good thing, right? OK, but don't dismiss its "betterthanshoes-ness" just yet as if exaggerated... No, let me explain and you'll see :)

I woke up this morning, before the alarm went off,  and the sun was shinning in the blue, clear sky, a sky without the slightest bit of clouds! Yes it is a Wednesday, yes I had to work (not to mention to get out of the house early as the nice lady who takes care of my apartment and me was coming) and yes I do have to be conscious with my holidays as they are not unlimited... but... the sun was shinning and the forecast for tomorrow is for rain! Surely work could wait for a day, right? ;)

So I sent an email to my boss informing I would be absent, took a quick shower and hit the road... or, more accurately, the rails! Took the train to Amsterdam and got there before the crowds (just on  time to snatch those fabulous Givenchy sandals with the most attractive 30%off... who did ever say that "better than shoes" things don't combine marvelously with shoes?? :), did my shopping and lots more browsing and then had a relaxed lunch reading a magazine!

Simple pleasures? Absolutely!! But pleasures nonetheless! I did enjoy every minute of my "personal day" and remembered how good a time I have just by myself! Merely the feeling of playing hookie was enough to lift my spirit and combined with the brilliant, warm weather and the train trip it was a pure bliss! Yeah, yeah, sure, the new shoes too, but I would have had just as much fun without them, word of honor! 

mission accomplished...

... and it feels better than a new pair of Prada pumps!!!

I have had a task to do for the last 6 months... Now, I am not at all proud of it (and I don't usually avoid work like this) but the fact of the matter is that for the last half a year it has been haunting my life, sitting at the top of my desk, waiting patiently to be dealt with while I have been procrastinating like a pro! Yep, a lot has to do with it being a tough one... the difficulty of it being that I had not done this before and mixed up with the fear that I was not going to be able to actually do it... fear, yes... and stress... lots of it...

But this past Monday, though struggling with a headache (perhaps because of the promise I had secretly given to myself that I was going to at least start it this week) I did start it... And did finish it today!! OK, it still needs some work, mostly involving my colleagues, but the first part, the most difficult one, the one I had to do on my own, is done. And though this past few days I have been feeling under the weather, for reasons other than work, finishing this damn thing has helped substantially to improve the mood.

Still two days to go for the weekend, the weather being gloomy and depressing, but I do feel better than yesterday! I will focus on this one positive thing and will get it through the rest of the week and into the break! And, though I have not won the Nobel peace prize, merely I finished a long delayed work related task, I do indeed feel better about myself! And, this is better than shoes, isn't it?  ;)

families...

... are not as such better than shoes. At least not in the strict sense. But my definition of family is not the strict one and according to my definition, families are better than shoes! Will explain: I do not believe that my family is only the people that I am related to by blood. My best friend and I have been friends for almost 27 years now... Doesn't she qualify as family??!! You bet it does!! My other oldest friend is also my cousin, but in all honesty it is the meeting of hearts and minds which brought (and keeps) us together, not the blood. And in my life time I have been privileged enough to meet more wonderful people who are no forming what I call my family.

On the other hand, my immediate, blood, family is small... we can have a Christmas (or Easter...) meal all together normally without needing a fourth chair... And I do sometimes miss experiencing this type of big gatherings with parents, aunts, cousins, grandparents, children, just like I see it in the movies... the loud meals, the different generations, the heated discussions... I do miss the normality of it all, the comfort of the support group... But, as I said, I have been lucky enough to be part part of many families in my life and I choose to focus on this...

This past weekend was all about that: a family gathering! More than 20 people, cousins, wives, husbands, girlfriends, kids, all together for two days in a beautiful scenery, for the sheer pleasure of getting together! The jokes, the games, the fun, the food (oh, so much food once again... I really need to stop eating...) the teasing, all of it was perfect! No, not even the rain (which fell in abundance...) managed to spoil the mood, not even the cold rooms! It was better than shoes... And I was lucky enough to be part of it! :)