Hi,
A couple of bits of PosiBlog style news this week. How good to be able to report that as an opener! 🙂
Getting out?
With me starting a new job at the start of this year and being Dog Sitter for the Ever Lovely Mrs J & Youngest during their minibreaks, I’ve not used as much of my holiday as I would. I guess throw in that I’m a four days a week, so what I lose in monies, I absolutely gain in time, freedom, and less stress.
Today, for example I’ll catch up on things that need to be done around the house, and this means the weekend is free for walks and relaxation. While I am sort of paying for it – less pennies – I do not think I could go back to full-time work; I just don’t have the energy for that and there’s too much going on a Jones Towers! 🙂
Ah, so is there a point to this? Actually, that might be too deep a question, so let’s narrow things to just this section 😉 With the remaining leave, no holiday plans, and Youngest away, I thought I’d be open with the Ever Lovely Mrs J, and check if she was okay with me having a Lynn day and joining Val for some shopping. Bless her, she was and the cheeky lady added “Do we need to agree a spending limit? I know what you’re like!” 😁
Hah! Roasted and fair that comment. I don’t think a limit will be needed, so fingers crossed about the idea of popping out before the Xmas madness descends.
Rare treats
The last time I got changed at home for Chams must have been around two decades ago. So, what a gift it was to not have to push things into a bag, and get changed at the venue. Instead, I got to drive to and from the Centre, which certainly prolonged the evening.
Now, I wasn’t late leaving home but I did get caught up in the road works, so I arrived after I would do normally. Unfortunately, Rosalind, a new lady, and Anne had already arrived. Thankfully, it was only a handful of minutes, but I think I’ll have to see about prepping earlier or travelling a different way, if this becomes a thing.
I did have a wry smile to myself while driving, as I’ll often ring my folks on a Thursday. Sometimes that’s from home, sometimes in the car. This evening I was listening to my parents – Dad’s health, Mum’s social activities – and my mind flashed back to me telling Mum about me stopping dressing back in the 90s.
Well, it was true then…. not that being genderfluid ever goes away. Ah, Lessons Learned along the way eh! 😁
Now, my Mum is lovely, bless her – yes, as quirky as I am 🤪 – and right now I’m reminded of the old Goodness Gracious Me sketch with the two mother’s trying to out do each other. Oh, well, yes myyyy son is helping run a social support group for trans people and he has such the fashion sense. He must get that sense of style from me! 😁
A busy night
As to Chams itself, Val was kind enough to bring a very tasty chocolate cake for her upcoming birthday. I had a catch up with Anne and what’s going on a Leeds First Friday – all good news on that front, which is grand to hear, IMO.
I think we had about twenty folk in by the peak of the evening. Of which, four where new folk or on their second visit. The latter means I get to ask them to pay up! 😁 but that’s not the important bit; it’s seeing folk begin to settle, find people to talk to, and gain confidence.
We had a quick Community Announcement – with much good natured heckling from the usual folk, bless ’em 😁 – about the upcoming Halloween ‘Do. It’ll be the tried & tested buffet and some decorations to spritz up Chams HQ a little.
I am hoping for a little help with the latter, as it’s often a race to get things set up before everyone arrives. Mind you, maybe folk would like to be a bit more hands on, and maybe it doesn’t have to ‘wow’ people as they come in. I guess we will find out.
Locking up was quite quick as there was no need for Val to wait around for me to de-princess. Thankfully the traffic in the roadworks had ebbed, so getting home was fairly snappy. Well, despite the new speed limit where no-one is doing any work for a mile plus. Ah, first world problems eh? 😉
The Ever Lovely Mrs J was reading with the hounds snuggled around her, so after checking in with her – no, she’s not seen my in Lynn mode – I got changed and sorted out the doggos bedtime routine. I guess the extra half hour Mrs J gained for a powernap as I got ready helped her 💖 Oh, and – ‘cos caring husband – I did say to her that if me getting changed at home was ever an issue, just to tell me. Not that it’ll be each Chams night, as Youngest may pop home and that’s more important.
Right, better crack on with the house-husbanding! 🙂 Have a good one!
L x
What a fun report! Happy to hear about your outing and life. Things sound peachy. 🙂
Thanks Ally. Yes, things went very well and it’s a fab feeling to be able to have good news to share & write about.
Thanks for popping by 👋
You get another Posiblog sticker for your wall chart, Mrs.
Another nice dress, and the boots look warm and comfy. Looking forward to hearing about the Hallowe’en party.
Bless Mrs Jones for supporting a trans child and a trans spouse. One day she may want to meet Lynn although I am well aware this can take much time. I suspect the dogs don’t mind how you dress, although I’ve always wondered what animals make of human clothing. Perhaps they see clothes as layers of skin we take off and change day after day.
Have a nice weekend.
Sue xx
Ooo! I do love a sticker! I shall affix it to the calendar posthaste 😁
Less flippantly, thank you.
The boots are v comfy, yes. I do need to take them for repair as both lost their heel tip. Maybe just age and bad luck? Fingers crossed Timpsons can work their magic. They did before.
There’s a reason Mrs J is the Ever Lovely Mrs J and she certainly needs a medal for putting up with me, and a second for all her allyship and parental awesomeness with both our two. Maybe she will want to she me in Lynn mode, but for now we’re okay as we are, and I can respect that.
As to the hounds, yes, we’ve wondered what they make of their hooman servants, and why they swap their outer fur during the day. Thankfully our three were quite relaxed as I got changed – possibly placated by the earlier walk, tea, and a treat. They also know that Mrs J will treat and cuddle them all when I go out.
L x
The shorter working week, if you can afford to do it, is a real boon, especially when you are winding down towards retirement. It’s an indication of the average age in my work group that one other person has already taken this up and two more are thinking about it.
And when those non work days align with a morning when L goes out for a few hours then it allows a few hours of Susie time, even it it is for housewifey duties like cleaning the kitchen.
My mum may be the one person in my immediate family who does not know about Susie. I finally told my brother and sister a few years ago, but it’s barely been mentioned since. I had often wondered if mum had guessed about the occasional forays into her closet in my teens but my sister said she had never mentioned anything.
The advance at home prep time sound ideal, though it suggests a Cage Au Folles scenario where characters go in and out of different doors at the same time to ensure that Lynn and Ms J never meet.
True, Susie (on reduced hours) around the catch-up on chores errands, and – if you’re lucky – some fancy time to do all of them.
If your Mum did know, she may not want to ‘out’ you to a sibling. Dare I say it’s your story and your choice?
I think for us, we needed some flexibility around the school pick up times. Initially that was the morning for me, and as Mrs J’s health changed, the afternoon as well. Mind you, as Youngest passed his test, he’d take himself there and back, bless him.
I couldn’t afford to fully reduce my hours at the last place, so it was five days in, four days in. That helped, but a full week was a trudge. I felt run over by the end of a full week… and then you had the usual house stuff of cleaning, washing, etc.
On the latter, working from home really helped. Not having to commute meant I gained about 90 minutes from not having to travel. Plus, from a work point of view, I was logged in and working quicker and more often. Throw in not travelling to meetings often gave another two hours a day!
All that and while you’re making a coffee, there’s time to load/unload the washer, tumbler, and/or dishwasher.
With the new job, I can afford a four day week, so weekends are chilled out, and housework is sorted on the Friday.
Mind you, the bramble needs cutting back and I could do with a check & chuck – review & recycle? 🤔 – of some of my bloke stuff. I’m not sure which will be more arduous! 😁