Z takes a tonic

I've spent the last hour or two going through the annual report and financial statement that has to be submitted by the academy.  We've just had another set of papers sent to us too, a massive undertaking as it has to be completed and audited by the end of the year, it's a huge document with no guidelines, the accounts are onerous for our small three-person finance department (who have to keep up with day-to-day business too, of course).  Public money though, it's right that the scrutiny is rigorous, though the powers that be keep changing the documentation when they find they haven't got it right, it's all quite chaotic and we have to deal with the sharp end.  I've been going through the governors' report, of course, not the financial detail.  Anyway, whilst I was about it I became thoroughly nit-picking, changing several semi-colons to colons, rewriting sentences to avoid too many apostrophes, I feel as if I've spiralled down into pernicketyness.  And I've just this moment had an email thanking me from our finance director - she shouldn't be working at 6 pm on a Sunday!  It's all very well for me, I'm not paid so there's no reason I should ever take time off.

Oh, that's all right, she sent it from her iPhone, at least she wasn't at her desk.

Anyway, I've rewarded myself with a glass of tonic, ice and a good squeeze of lime and ... no gin.  Nor vodka.  Yup, I make no promises regarding an alcohol-free evening, but not before dinner tonight.  I've been too busy and too tired and under some strain and drinking has crept up.  Not horribly, but it's time to re-tweak down again before an extra glass or half-glass in the evening becomes normal.

Elle has been staying with a friend for the past week and will return sometime in the next few days.  I've missed her, I'm looking forward to having her back.  Mind you, come to think of it I haven't changed her bedclothes yet, I mustn't forget (yes, I'm missing a trick, she should do it herself and be treated as a member of the family rather than a guest, but hey, I'm in loco grandparentis* here and we're allowed to be indulgent).  She's popping back to Germany at the end of next week for her father's wedding, but just for the weekend.  Then she'll be with us for half term, but is hoping to find some work experience or something voluntary to fill her time as all her friends have jobs outside school and won't have much free time.

Have I mentioned that Ro and Dora are in the process of buying a house?  Very exciting, and also quite ageing for the Sage and me - our baby!  I'm afraid I'm going very grey, I looked in the mirror in a good light this morning, always a mistake and I was quite disconcerted.  Worse, I'm reaching the age when my personal thermostat is a bit haywire - yes, I'm a bit late to this but find I'm not ready to face its approaching significance.  I'm happy to be middle aged, okay with contemplating old age, but the prospect of being menopausal - no, that's not something I feel able to take on board.  I'm looking at it with a surprising degree of loss.**

However, I won't end on a dismal note.  Um...oh yes, I've been making quite a lot of cake recently.  It all started with Elle's birthday and I've just carried on.  I'm trying not to eat it myself though, I wore a skirt the other night that I've been keeping for years until I shrank into it and it fitted and I'm not letting my weight creep up again.  It's sugarfree tonic I'm drinking now, by the way, not that I approve in the least of artificial sweeteners but I can't contemplate fizzy drinks full of sugar either.  Which is one of the reasons I drink wine, of course.   I've never found a soft drink that will do, I'd rather drink water.  But I'd rather drink wine really, obv.


*Anyone who has a problem with my Latin will be soundly kissed until they stop complaining.

**TMI, I'm afraid - you see, I can be as indiscreet without alcohol as with.  I'm always expansive in the evenings, it's the time I'm most awake.