Hermitage is looking very attractive right now

[nanila]

My parents departed this morning after a hectic last week with us. We had people over for supper on Monday night. I flew to Madrid on Tuesday, attended a two-day meeting wherein the work bled over into the supposed down time, and flew back again on Thursday night. We had more people over for supper on Friday night, and then a third set of people over for Saturday lunch and tea. I would happily spend the next three weeks with a duvet over my head not seeing anyone, as that week consumed the social energy I normally expend over three months. Sadly that's not going to happen.

On the plus side, our new, kingsize bed is arriving tomorrow. We have been sleeping on the bloke's (terrible, ancient Ikea) bed (which he bought in the first year of his PhD) since we moved in together. Last week I decided I'd had enough of the squashy mattress, so we went to Middle-Class Retail Mecca (aka John Lewis) and bought a bed. Additionally, I decided to give up on the wrestling match I've been wrangling with my internal Frugality Monitors (aka the spirits of my dead grandparents) and hired some cleaners. They pay their first visit this Wednesday to do a spring clean and take care of the horrors in the corners that we keep saying we're going to get around to and never do.

My apologies for poor management of the Dreamwidth points giveaway; I'm extending the deadline to next Friday (13 June) as a result. To the person who nominated "Myself": Please could you reply again with your username, as the poll results are anonymised and I don't know who you are?

By the way, I got my comeuppance with regard to last Friday's Unscientific Poll. I ended up having to give the presentation and no one got the Spaceballs joke.

Comments

[cxcvi]

I ended up having to give the presentation and no one got the Spaceballs joke.

Oh shit. There goes the planet.

[nanila]

*applauds* See here now, why weren't you in the audience? ;)

[cxcvi]

Because I've been too busy thanking life for pressing my self-destruct button.

[soliano]

Your audience had poor taste. I long for a good retreat. I never seem to find the time.

[nanila]

I hear this sort of thing happens when you reproduce, and the best you can hope for is to claw some time back in a couple of decades...!

[lark_ascends]

*hugs* I don't blame you wanting to hide in bed.

[nanila]

*hugs back* I find small talk effortful at the best of times, and the last few days have really pushed my limits.

[alwayswondered]

I thought longingly of hiring a cleaner while I was cleaning the bathroom this weekend. I can't really justify it, but it would be so nice.

I think I would need about a month off after a week like that. o.O

[nanila]

I will report back on whether or not we find a fortnightly clean is worth it after a few months.

This has reminded me of something I don't think I ever thanked you for. The bloke bought me a slow cooker for my last birthday and it's made a disproportionate increase in domestic felicity considering how much it cost. I asked for one largely based on your recommendation of said item. So, thank you for that!

WE HAVE A NEW BED. Now very tempted to take August off and hide in it...

[alwayswondered]

Please do! I definitely don't think there's enough work for a weekly visit, but I really do need to get someone in to do the carpets if nothing else. They are abominable.

Oh yay, you got one! I'm so glad you like it! Mine has made such a difference to my life, it's unbelievable. I haven't tended to use it much in summer but I think that ought to change because it's so brilliant. Slow cookers FTW!

NEW BED ALSO FTW.