It definitely feels like if there's a chance of immersing myself in a problem, or completely missing a deadline because I just plain forgot, or finding myself in the middle of a misunderstanding that I'm pretty sure I didn't cause, then I'm there, centre stage. Luckily this is only happening at home at the moment and probably accounts for my heightened anxiety at work. But then again I did forget the bulletin...
Perhaps I should slow down. Here's my typical weekend.
Saturday no tennis coaching today for the boys as George is playing in the final of the U10 Chelmsford Junior Tennis postal tournament at Great Baddow Tennis Club at 10am - some 30 minute drive away. On the face of it not an early start but Jo and I help run this competition and have to be there early - so an 8:30am start. Helping at the tournament ends at 3:30pm and we rush home to get Adam to a friend’s house so he can go fishing for a couple of hours. Evening runs smoothly with a take-away as we're too knackered to cook.
After clearing up I have to organise the morning; I need to find someone with a van and a step ladder to meet me at 9:30am at the tennis club. It's our club's 75th Anniversary this year and we're celebrating next Saturday with a tournament and evening buffet for 180 people and Sunday morning is the only chance I have to put up 300 ft of bunting around the club and courts. I am still confused how I managed to get this job. Convinced Les, the shortest member at the club, into helping; he has a van and step ladder. Looks like he'll be holding the cable ties for me.
Did I mention that I've been chairing a weekly meeting to organise this event for the last 8 weeks with some very difficult people - I think I deserve a medal. This is why I'm confused how I got the bunting job - I'm normally very good at delegation.
Anyway, Sunday morning comes and bunting starts to go up. 10:15am and still in the middle of it and I have to dash off and get the family so that George can play his semi-final match for another postal tournament, luckily at the club. Now I have to mix putting the bunting up with watching and supporting George. Oh, I didn't mention that as I was first at the club in the morning I had to meet and greet a visiting team from Chiswick Esporta who were playing our U14 girls team in the South East finals of the National Club League "would you like a coffee or tea?"
Sunday is also social play at the club, although this was cancelled this week because the Head Coach, Jo and I were going to hold a parent and child tournament with a BBQ afterwards. Thankfully, this had to be cancelled at the last minute - another story. The news of the cancellation spread very quickly so the hope of a quiet club while I put the bunting up, with Les, was dashed as the club was full of members playing social tennis - including all the ladies on my anniversary committee. I guess I should have expected problems.
Bunting done by 2:00pm and just when I thought we could go I found myself in the centre of a mix up over who was buying the wine for next week - 30 minutes mediation. No not a spelling mistake although I would have preferred meditation.
Added bonus was the cancellation of the Wednesday night club committee meeting - cancellation proposed by me. Nothing to do with a Tuesday night anniversary meeting and 2 days away from home this week...and an international football match to watch.
No food in the house so one hour to rush round the supermarket before a drive to Billericay Tennis Club to get Adam to his next round in one of the postal tournaments for 4:00pm - I forget which one. Home by 6:00pm (Adam's not talking to me because he lost) and on with the BBQ - it's 8:30pm before I know it and then a couple of hours updating the Chelmsford Tournament results and pictures on the website followed by also adding some match reports (otherwise there will be a number of people complaining, "why haven't my match reports gone on the web site?"
Got to go now; I'm just coming into Temple on the District Line and a young lady has just fainted at my feet...
And another story.