Sunday; looking ahead with a smile on my face
It’s Sunday so it must be breakfast/brunch out for Team Jones. Today, Liverpool. The Vincent Cafe. We decided to return after a great experience a few weeks ago and were not disappointed today. A great welcome; lovely, generous piles of eggs and sausage, tea and toast. What more could you want to kick off your Sunday afternoon? Lovely stuff.Dr J took her leave for an hour of time to herself to browse John Lewis - George Henry Lees in Liverpool old money - whilst Miss J and I sorted this week’s photo printing and a mooch around town (on scooter - Aoife, not me) with a tour of the Disney Store.Splendidly relaxed, I reflected on my Sundays in my former life. The rising tide of anxiety as the horrors of Monday morning started to emerge on the horizon. No more. Just a Sunday of nothing very much which makes it all the better - no need to cram in loads of fun activities to offset the impending doom of the working week. Instead I can just stay in the moment and enjoy the day. No dread. No fear. No sweats. No brick on the chest. Just pleasant, easy stuff. A Tony Bennett Sunday. Easy on the ear - foot tapping, humming to myself.I always take some time on Sunday to review the diary for the week ahead. It is one of my techniques for managing my stress and workload. It is something I actually look forward to doing as one of life’s planners. Some weeks are a mixed bag - like last, with some travel to London. This coming week just brought a smile to my face. A perfect combination of interesting work; good meetings; time with my Lexington North colleagues - always good fun and energising; loads of time with the rest of Team Jones; lots of golf (always good - including an away trip to Hillside)’ and the return of my Mighty Reds as the football season returns. Of course, the return of our near-thirty year quest for the league title - to be honest, the main thing that keeps me coming back each week, often to be smacked in the chops with disappointment - brings with it some logistical challenges.Thanks to Sky, Murdoch and those who have taken the game from the working man and woman and handed it to the corporate whores, TV-miesters and advertisers, kick off times vary from week to week - including the nonsense this week of a Friday night game - good luck away fans getting there whilst having a job. This means I need a much earlier time for golf next Saturday - 07:48 tee off awaits - to be done in time to watch the game. Annoying but surely the definition of a first world problem!Early tee times and inconvenient football aside, this week looks like a belter - as does next - I allowed myself a sneaky look forward two weeks. What a great way to end this week; what a great way to put a mile on my Sunday face. What's more, the Red Sox are playing early so I am already tuned in as I write this and can happily report a 2-0 lead.......ah wait, now 2-3. Even that early Chicago White Sox comeback can't wipe the smile off this face.#ben2b40