Yesterday I was in a bad mood. It hardly ever happens, but loads of small irritating things going wrong (two parcels going missing, losing my keys, boiling hot public transport, not being able to sleep due to the heat, our cats’ favourite cat food being out of stock, lots of last-minute changes at work, problems with online orders, forgot my phone at home) during the week, I reached critical mass yesterday when torrential rain (after more than 14 days of heat and blazing sun) prevented our annual participation in a motorbike rally, for the first time in four years. Of course, because I was already irritable, I caught my clothes on every door handle in the house, my favourite dress got a hole, there were long queues everywhere I went etc etc.
So, to cheer myself up, I decided to buy a new pen using a gift card I was given. I chose a small plain one but – naturally – with a long queue behind me, the scanner refused to read the barcode. In desperation I grabbed one that was in a holder on the counter and said ‘I’ll take this one instead’.
It is so not my style but I will never ever lose it. It writes really nicely too.
I can empathise with this. I’ve had an entire week where the main system I use in my job was barely working. As it isn’t widely used and didn’t affect too many people fixing it wasn’t high priority, but it made every day an aching grind for me.
I’m sorry Pamela – it really wears on you doesn’t it? Hope next year is better for you!