So it promised to be a busy day, Saturday. I may even clear my desk!
Usually, I try not to spend too much time on stuff I’m usually doing during normal office hours … but hey, what are normal office hours? Today, I may even clear my desk!
Besides, if I managed to finish the edits to a short story collection, I’d make headway into a manuscript I’d recently accepted. Normal office hours? Flexibility is very important to my business and using my time to best effect is something I enjoy.
Today I thought I was doing ok until an impromptu visit from my not-so-happy wife had me ‘downing tools.’
I need to go to the dentist. Now, please. I could see by the look on Sue’s face that she was not having a good time. I was aware there was a ‘niggling’ issue although neither of us knew how severe it had now become.
Do you have painkillers/drugs? I asked.
‘Some.’ Came the reply
OK, I thought, yes, let’s do this … prioritise. The dentist …
So I picked up the telephone and dialled, only to met with a voicemail declaring “We’re now closed for the weekend, please call back Monday. Do not leave a message, do not turn up at the surgery unless invited.”
The news didn’t go down well with Sue.
‘What are we going to do?’
Of course, there is always something we could try next, but right now? Knowing how debilitating a severe toothache can be, I needed to make plans for the next 36hrs.
More painkillers, mouth wash, cold packs … wine!
What about food?
‘Can we call the NHS emergency?’
Good idea. I called NHS out of hours No. 111, left details, and waited … within minutes the nurse was on the ‘phone.
‘Sounds like it’s an abscess Sue, nothing we can do until Monday. Don’t take any more Ibroprufen, Paracetamol instead, pick up some Benzocaine, apply cold packs … stick to a liquid diet, but stay off the alcohol …’
So I had my shopping list. I left Sue in charge of ‘dear dawg’ and set off. After an hour I had found most of what we required. The ‘liquid diet’ needed work though.
Soup. Of course. Let’s choose, either canned or homemade? No contest, decision made, it was to be homemade, chicken soup …
In good time I was home, (the last painkiller swallowed by Sue hours ago.) The prescribed paracetamol was set to work. and I made my way to work in the kitchen.
Where am I going with this? I hear you say.
Saturday it turned out, was not to be the day for catching up with the outstanding business. When it comes to looking after family, there’s no contest. Besides, I found the distraction helped with the clarity once I did return to the ‘tools’ of business.
Life has a way of reminding us that there is more to life than business … just in case we’d forgotten.
Business is personal.
CharlieKenny.me 