April Journal | Hen Dos & Interviews

Hen dos and interviews is a pretty accurate summary of the last month. The last four months, really. It’s a long story that I’m not going to bore you with - I’ve known that there was an interview looming on the horizon since January, the outcome of which would decide whether I either received a promotion or lost my job. Extreme ends of the scale no? I also had my sister’s hen do – which I was organising – on the horizon. Obviously, a hen do is very much the opposite of an interview but there’s no denying that organising one has its stresses. So, of course, of course, interview & hen ended up being the same week. I actually found out the outcome of the interview the day before the hen, so let’s be grateful it was a positive one because I’m not sure bride’s-sister-lost-her-job-yesterday would have been the best of hen do themes. 

I expected to be on some kind of high at the end of that weekend – promotion at work, successfully-organised hen do, no longer having to lie awake at night wondering how we would pay the mortgage should I lose my job etc. But, in truth, I just felt very, very tired (probably not helped by the 4am wake-up’s Alfie had been treating us to). For the last couple of weeks, I have still woken up with a heavy feeling of stress sitting in my belly and have repeatedly had to catch myself and remember that there is no need for it anymore. I can only assume that after four months of worrying, it was going to take longer than one day for my body to catch up with my brain. 

(Either that or it was purely a result of watching Baby Reindeer which was far more stressful an experience than preparing for an interview and planning a hen do combined, quite frankly. Have you watched it? Can we discuss?) 

Anyway, I’m getting there now. Perhaps not on a high, but the ball of stress that has been residing in my belly is dissipating. The sun has finally appeared, we have booked a summer holiday and everything is feeling just that little bit brighter. Here’s hoping it continues. 

Moments 

A night out in Cambridge for Gary’s birthday. 

Blossom on the trees, giving the illusion Spring had arrived, even if the temperature suggested otherwise. 

Alfie coming home from nursery with his fringe in a ponytail because he was absolutely not missing out on playing hairdressers. 

Alfie ‘counting’: his fingers, his cars, before he throws himself backwards on the bed. He only knows about three numbers but that ain’t stopping him. 

Alfie calling vehicles by their ‘sounds’ – trains are ‘choo choos’, cars are ‘ne-naws’ and planes are ‘neeeeaows’. The exception being lorry’s – ‘loddys’ and buses – ‘ba’. Toddler languages are so bloody cute, I will be devastated when choo choos one day just become ‘trains’. 

The annual family party, 20+ of us including several little ones, an excitable dog and a hell of a lot of easter chocolate. 

Going into London to meet my friend’s new baby (me broody? Dunno what you mean…) and having a good catch-up at a very tasty newly-opened waffle place – would recommend. 

Bright pink jumpsuits (‘you look like a children’s TV presenter’ – my mum). 

Asking my sister’s fiancé if he had any funny photos of her and the sheer number of priceless gems he sent through. 

The Shard lit up on a foggy night.  

The view when walking across London Bridge. 

Not losing my job! 

A pay rise!
 

Hen do!

Further reading

Come with us to a glass house on Camber Sands.