Deadlines

I've been in denial about an upcoming trip, again because of:

My tax return not having been filed
My irritating cough and cold

I decided to do something about the tax return, and promised myself a reward of some Christmas extra chocolates that I had hidden somewhere. Would you believe it, I can't find them?

Once the tax return was done, I focussed on my trip. I booked it all ages ago and am pleased to find that I had made sensible arrangements. At least, they look ok on paper.

Friend Elspeth, whom I visited in Fife in October, plus C/H, and I are meeting in Holland and going to stay with another friend, M, who lives there. We were all at school together, but none of us ever wanted to go back, so I suggested Holland. I've seen Elspeth and C/H comparatively recently, but M and I haven't met up for 37 years! Should be fun. M has tidied her house to make room for us, she said. (I hope I won't still be coughing and snortling like a dragon at night. It does get better after about 4 or 5 am, but then the awful sweating kicks in!)

Perhaps I'll meet up with our Dutch brother, R, too. He is my full brother, not another I've just discovered... Things on the family discussion group have got a bit tense, owing to a frayed temper and a misunderstanding. I feel I shouldn't
have started chatting with another family member at an antisocial time of day, but we were both awake, for different reasons. It's calmed down, now, I hope, but harsh words were spoken and feelings hurt. My role is, as ever, to sit in the middle and offer metaphorical cups of tea all round. Occasionally they get thrown back at me, but not this time, fortunately.

So, here we are, Sunday night, and I head off to the airport on Thursday. I've never been to Amsterdam!


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