(Canadian) Thanksgiving

[dr_kromm]

Monday is the Canadian Thanksgiving Day holiday. I'm on an American schedule – because I work for a U.S. company – but I definitely took time to relax this weekend. And there's much to be thankful for . . .

First, I got to sleep in until noon today. I mean, seriously – noon. Even for the childless among us, that's an accomplishment.

Then Bonnie and I took advantage of a wonderful gift from our good friends E. & D.: a certificate for a couples massage. I've never had any kind of professional massage, so this was either jumping in with both feet or going in with my hand held. Either way, it was very relaxing. I'm not much for the whole New Age scented candles-and-chakras thing, but I'm definitely down for anything that does more good for my sore arm in one hour than about two months of everything else I've tried. So here's to getting aches and pains ironed out – I see more of this in my future. (For the locals, I would recommend Espace Nomad . . . they were polite, professional, unrushed, and very willing to explain things to a massage newbie.)

Our Thanksgiving dinner was unusual, as far as Thanksgiving dinners go. Instead of the customary stuffed bird, we put together two Welsh items. Katt pie is a kind of sweet-savory pasty filled with sweetened, spiced lamb and currants – it's just amazing stuff, and nothing at all like any kind of meat pie I've had before. Glamorgan sausages are rolled-up, fried-up treats made not with meat but with cheese, leeks, and breadcrumbs. Neither is "fancy" . . . I suspect that they're basic fair food or pub food of some variety. But with a good Chianti Classico and fresh veggies (and some totally excessive biscotti and calvados for dessert), they were just great. If all Welsh food is so tasty, then the slagging people give it is thoroughly undeserved.

Which is to say, I cannot complain. Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends out there! I hope your day is as good as mine.

Comments

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

I have very much the same experience as a freelance editor. The boss is always watching me and saying, "You know, you could be making money." Even on a day when I have a game to run or attend, I fit in a couple of hours of work in the morning if at all possible. If I'm going out of town, I don't take work with me; but entire years go by when I don't travel anywhere.

[dr-kromm.livejournal.com]

Sounds familiar. I'm sensitive to it because despite cutting back salt, losing weight, and taking up a cardio regime, my blood pressure has been inching up. My physician has identifed work as the main cause. Nobody likes to work, but there are some people for whom work is an active health problem . . . and I'm one of them. I have hypertension, stress, and anxiety issues that mostly stem from work – any work, not just my current job – and that don't emerge in casual or social situations. My doctor thinks I should take weeks and weeks off each year, but I can barely afford two weeks, all told. I think I chose the wrong line of work!

[gerhard-kremer.livejournal.com]

"I have hypertension, stress, and anxiety issues that mostly stem from work"

FWIW, I find your work as GURPS line editor superb; it is obvious that there are obscene amounts of work behind it.

Take care of yourself; I've learned during my PhD that there is nothing worth losing your health and peace of mind over. And regarding days off, try to err by excess: I would hate you getting burnt out of the business ;-)

GK (aka Mercator)