Odd and somewhat oddly emotional day with multiple causes.
I had to get up early (not a good start of the day) because I wanted to fit in my morning swim before a blood draw for the neurologist. The blood draw is a very long shot just in case. The stupid arm not functioning well is a mystery, and muscle atrophy is becoming more and more visible, even though I'm getting better at compensating so functionality is still improving at the moment. So the test is for Borrelia/Lyme disease just in case. I haven'seen a tick in many years so I expect a negative.
So a swim, a blood draw (not that easy after a cold swim, should have thought that one through), aquajogging in the pool, covid jab (ouch), and back home where my holiday stress has now seriously started.
I hate packing!
I'll leave on friday for a sailing weekend first (work), and I'll go from the ship to my aunt on sunday evening so I can drive to the ferry on monday morning. And now I not only have to pack two weeks worth of camping and cooking gear, diabetes stuff, food for the first two days, books, and clothes, but I also have to pack separately for a weekend of sailing, aaargh!
On the upside, it's only 3 days until I leave, last time I went on holiday this stress started some two months before I left, this new non depressed life with greatly reduced anxiety is very interesting!
It looks like my adventures with my date Tom have come to an end.
He sent me a very sweet message this afternoon. Neither of us had planned for or intended for things to become so intense, mostly intellectual but with some physical aspects as well, and it can't be in his life. Not even a friendship because it started on a dating website, and because there's a physical aspect as well.
Had we met in any other place, things would have been different and we'd likely have never considered anything except endless talks and sailing, which would have been fine.
Had he not been in a relationship, things might have been very different.
So I'm grieving might-have-beens today, and it's harder than I care to admit.
He'll terminate his account on the dating site on friday, which will be the end of our contact. I hope for a face to face goodbye before that, but even if he wants to it will be hard to fit into his week before I leave, and we definitely shouldn't meet again after I'm back.
Still, I'm very thankful of having met him, and the unlikely connection we felt, as far as I can see we both felt this despite coming from very different lives. Just give me some time, and I'll be able to see this for one of the unexpected beautiful surprises life throws at you, and I'll cherish the memory (never mind that life has a very nasty sense of humour sometimes).
In the middle of my chat conversation with Tom, neighbour Astrid came by, sad and emotional. Neighbour-in-the-garden Tale had more or less moved in with her, which is too much for her. Multiple hints haven't done the job, so today she put all his stuff in his car while he was at work and drove his car back here. She still wants him as a friend, and likely more, but not as completely as he does. I feel sorry for both of them, it's another case of bad timing and unlucky circumstances.
And then a phonecall from a friend with some health issues, and a GP not looking past her weight.
Long story short, I'll be very happy once my holiday has started so I'll have a break from life being complicated!
Somehow amidst of all this emotional turmoil I still managed to cook a proper dinner, surprising myself!
Zuurkoolstamppot (most of you will know this by now), a cauliflower purée mixed with sauerkraut and eaten with a smoked and boiled sausage (rookworst) and boiled and brined pork belly (zuurkoolspek).
Forgot to make a picture though.
If you see a raggedy old green Citroën C3 with yellow plates and a red smiley face painted on the hood for good luck, please give way, driving on the left is confusing!
