The Travelers Wife

Admittedly if I had started this blog about 10 years ago then this would’ve been the title. Big Daddy was always off one place or another for work reasons. Sometimes it would be overnight, other times a couple of weeks. I learned to adapt quite well as you do, and quickly became quite good at managing out little family as a temporary single mum. But the traveling – the real traveling hasn’t happened in years (I don’t count the odd overnight here and there). It was one of the reasons that we moved to the UK, to change our lifestyle and actually live as a full time family. I have to say it’s been pretty awesome!

 

So when I found out that he was going away for 10 days it was a case of shrugging the shoulders, no big deal, love you, hurry home. After all, I’m a professional travelers wife. I am unfazed and resilient with just the right amount of cavalier and practicality. In short, as usual, I rock. No really I do. No really…. No really? No, not really at all!

Somewhere over the last few years I got soft. I forgot that the first few days I was always rendered useless. I never quite know why that is, I don’t think I ever figured it out back then and I certainly don’t get it now. My sleep pattern changes, I am on constant high alert – every sound is investigated, every thing checked at least three times, like mild OCD. It’s like having your arm chopped off, and every other part of you is trying to make up for it.

So it is with great relief that I am finally writing again, because that means my equilibrium has readjusted. Can’t say the same for the sleep though, but that’s nothing a little cucumber and eye cream can’t fix. With a huge dose of concealer.

Double ended candle burning… never a good idea!

So here I am in bed. I’ve been in bed all day fighting off what can only be described as my body just giving up. My brain is foggy (well that’s not new) and somehow I have to keep a small dose of reality as Little Fella is off sick from school as well. Next time, I really must time my illness better.

 

Every couple of years or so, I get to a point where I have to sit back and take stock of what matters to me, what doesn’t and what really should. I consider myself to be quite easy going, but with that comes the downside of often getting stuck in a rut. Climbing out of the rut and trying to keep my life under control at the same time is starting to take it’s toll.

Trying to be brilliant at work and at home is very hard work. I’ve built my entire career on being good at streamlining systems and finding easier ways to get things done, but this doesn’t always translate into my personal life. When I start to get overwhelmed, the cracks start to appear. Something may slip at work or I start getting snappy at home.

And of course if I ignore all this (as I usually do), then I just collapse… the body always knows best in the end. In any case, here’s to a good nights sleep and hopefully I’ll wake up refreshed and ready to meet tomorrows challenge – even if that is just the act of getting out of bed and off to work without incident.