Saturday (March 11th) – Mini me had a sleepover with friends and Junior asked us to vacate the house so he could have a group of 6 friends come over to go out on the town with and then have them stay the night. Mr E and I packed ourselves off to Utrecht, which really was a delight. I’ve been sick again and was just recovering and Mr E had been busy, so we didn’t make any huge plans. Just walked around for bit, had a very nice Greek dinner, walked around some more and ended up in a lovely arthouse filmtheater bar. No movies, just a few drinks and then back to the hotel.
Sunday (March 12th) – Slept in at the hotel, then checked out, went for a lovely lunch, walked around town some more and hit a large bookstore. We don’t have them that large in the town I live in, so much choice! Bought two easy reading books and a book on the history of libraries. Then home again late in the afternoon. Hats off to Junior, the house was looking good, like no one had been around and partied/slept there. Sunday evening my friend came around to stay up with me and watch the Oscars.

Monday (March 13th)– Watched the Oscars which started an hour earlier (so 1 am and not 2 am) than we had anticipated due to daylight savings having just happened in California. It was a bit boring (didn’t think Jimmy Kimmel did so great), but I was stoked for the Everything, Everywhere All At Once wins, i.e. Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis! Would have loved to see Angela Bassett win but I was also very pleased for Jamie. The Brendan Fraser win was also well-deserved. Got to bed at around 5 am and slept. I slept a lot, actually, also after my friend left again, as I was still recovering from being sick.

Tuesday (March 14h)– Back to work again and although I am better, I am definitely not ALL better. Had two new student-assistants that started working at the library last week and needed to first join the one and explain all sorts of things to her and then in the afternoon did the same with the other who was at another location. I was exhausted when I got home and went to bed early, to read and sleep.
Wednesday (March 15th) – Another busy day. I had two very long appointments with two refugees at my refugee council volunteer work. Hoped to be done early but didn’t leave till 3 pm. Was already pooped but needed to go by my mom’s as promised so drove on, helped her with some stuff, chatted and then back home again. That evening, I actually finished a book again for the first time in ages, one of the books I had bought on Sunday. It was an easy romantic book read called Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood about two NASA scientists falling in love and it was fun.
Thursday (March 16th) – Really, really busy day at work with lots of meetings and then at the end of the day even a presentation to give. It was all good, but yeah, pooped again! Spent the evening mindlessly scrolling though social media and catching up on some YouTubers I occasionally follow. Came across this, which I loved and as a cat owner feels so relatable!
Friday (today) – Had the chance to work from home today which is lovely for a change and now that work is done I am typing this. Mr E has traveled to Bruges in Belgium today by train and bus for a Heraldry day there tomorrow and will meet up with people from his “nerd club” as mini me calls them (a Dutch heraldry society that he is a board member of). He’ll be coming home again on Sunday. I need to go get groceries for dinner now.
Tomorrow (Saturday) – we celebrate my younger sister’s 50th birthday. Man, seeing her turn 50 makes me feel even older. It emphasizes how long ago these were taken…


Let the weekend begin!
🙂 A great week for your family Esther!
To be able to choose how to live and/or to work is wonderful nowadays.
I am going on working for an other year long but on 1rst april, I could be retired.
While people are going on striking in France against Macron last retirement bad rules (no equity).
IT engineer son could be fired after 2 days battles. After “négogations” and 45 days long delay, now he has to look after a new job.
In winter, Marin Biology Mastered daughter was working from 36, via 44 to 70 hours per week in fishes section supermarket… until Calanques National Park ecoguard during tourist summer season.
I am always aghast …
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@aradaghast Et on n’en peut plus, de cette réforme infecte… Déjà que les conditions de travail, en France, ce n’est pas la joie (un conjoint en burn out) sans parler du reste (non mais les prix !!). Courage pour les enfants (la mienne n’est pas encore dans la vie active, mais ça va bientôt arriver).
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Merci ! Je suis une maman un peu trop tracassée, je l’avoue.
Les personnes qui travaillent se sentent pressurés: physiquement, psychologiquement et financièrement.
J’aurais aimé qu’ils revoient leurs privilèges là haut, pour l’exemple. Dire que Macron touchera sa retraite bientôt me révolte.
J’ai honte d’être née en 1960.
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Retirement age in France will be 64 then? Here it is 67, so I have quite some years to go yet.
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I’m so sorry to hear about your partner being burned out. Sadly, mine is too although he is on the way to recovery.
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Sorry: “to look for, negotiations…”
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Retirement on april 1 st 2024, I assume (and not in two weeks)?
Sorry to hear about your son and that your daughter can’t do the work she wants to in winter.
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Thank you for your kind words.
Retirement on april 1 st 2024 but it could be in two weeks.
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Wow you have had a busy week, Esther! I hope you are feeling better and feel more rested. Utrecht looks wonderful and no trashed house!
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Yes, feeling better, thanks for asking.
Utrecht is my fave city in The Netherlands. Mr E and I want to move there, once at least one of the kids has flown the nest (houses are expensive there, so we’d need to live in a smaller house but that’s fine for us).
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I hope your recovery is going well despite the busy days!?!
Had to set the library book on my wish list, thanks for the tip 🙂
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I haven’t read it yet but I feel it’s a must for librarians. 🙂
Feeling much better, thanks for asking. Glad the weekend is almost here, though, as I sort of feel extra exhausted now.
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Yes, my thoughts exactly when I saw it 🙂
Good to hear that. I hope the weekend brought a lot of relaxing time for you.
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