The end of Summer

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The end of Summer means many things.

- Of course it means the end of the Summer weather ( - which in Holland is usually not so hot *anyway*), but it also means that several of my interests start again.

The American Football season starts, my Pilates-Class starts, my Japanese-Class starts, and the rehearsals for the Theatre-Group's Panto start.

I really don't know where I'm going to get this "new" time *from*, because my schedule is *currently* full.

The end of Summer also means that most/all of my colleagues have already taken their b-i-g holidays of the year.

Why does it always seem that my colleagues have *more* and *better* holidays than I have ... ?

They go to Japan for 2 months, or Italy for 4 weeks ... meanwhile, I go to Edinburgh for 1 week.

I *was* planning to visit Scotland again in October for a week ... but I currently have so much work, that I don't think that I'll be able to do it.

- Maybe in *December* ... *maybe*.

***

I've been asked to join the band for this year's Pantomime.

This year the band seems to be a really good group of guys ( - this is not normally the case !) and so I'm really pleased.

The band has had its first "meet-and-greet" meeting, where we listened to the songs that we're going to play, and we thought about how we might play them ( - Note: some of the songs were originally played by an *orchestra* ! Also, does anyone know how to play *Reggae* ? Because *I* don't).

We'll be rehearsing once-a-week for the next month, and then it'll probably be twice-per-week until the performances.

We'll be performing 4 shows at one of the oldest and best theatres in The Hague at the beginning of December.

Here is a model of the building, taken from the "miniature Holland", Madurodam -

And a picture of the inside of the building -

***

Next week my band will be auditioning a new singer - this has been another problem that has lasted all Summer.

I hope that everything goes well, and that we like her, and she likes us.

***

Last week a friend was very generous and she gave me an "amateur" massage.

My friend has very strong hands, but she was very surprised that her hands were much too strong for me: I was in pain almost every time that she touched me ...

- I don't think that she'll want to "help" me again in the future.

***

Let's hope that the Washington Redskins win more than they lose this year.

Here's hoping, here's hoping.

***

My heart has been feeling "uncomfortable" again for the past few weeks.

I believe that this is because of "stress".

I've been giving a lot of help to other people for the past month, and some other people have just been taking advantage of me.

I've not been able to relax recently, and my chest-pains are the result.

My Boss has recently been talking rubbish to me, and really, I'm just fed up hearing it.

I work longer and harder than he does, and I'm not prepared to hear speeches from him anymore about my productivity.

***