a cranky greenolive

is not a pretty sight!

You need to read the post to find out who she is and why she has Lavender tucked under her arm.

One week today I start my new job at Monash University. One week! Seven days! 6 more sleeps! (You can feel my panic can't you!)

I'm not ready. I need one more week. Perhaps even two. I have way too much to do between now and then. Plus I'm out of practice, not having worked since March.

And I just got back from a week away, so I've got all than unpacking, washing, putting things away stuff to do.

Plus all the loose ends I need to tie up. And piles to sort. And, And And...

Oh, don't forget that weekly market stall I'll be doing from Sunday 2 September. (Its a new market starting up here on Mt D. I'm pretty sure I'm in. They didn't even want to see photos of any stuff first.)

What this means dear reader is that greenolive has gone into panic-mode. (Mr greenolive has seen this all before and has created a technical term for it: mad-half-hour. Except it lasts longer than 30 minutes! My sisters and parents used to call it Mook-with-avengence!) And it's not pretty. Imagine a headless chook, but worse. INTJs can do this when they are in a state of stress. They preoccupy themselves with sorting or tidying or another similar activity rather than deadling with what they need to deal with.

And, I tend to get a bit short and cranky. I'm not angry with people it's just that all their questions and jibbering are distracting and interrupt my very focussed thought and effort. Mr greenolive knows this very well, but it doesn't make it any easier for him! And I know I'm doing it but it doesn't stop me still doing it. I don't get really cranky, like yelling and screaming (Taureans rarely lose their tempers) but I get a bit distracted and prickly. And not very nice to be around.

So, armed with the knowledge that things could get ugly very quickly, Mr greenolive suggested we turn off the TV (either of Jamie Durie's shows are not great television) and make a list. He even got the pad for me, as I was indisposed under a pile of knitting.

We started the list. Me writing furiously as things popped into my head and he offering well-timed and considered suggestions. We filled two columns of a ruled A4 page in no time. A kind of calm descended...

When I went to bed, around 11pm and in the dark, I found something on my pillow. (See photo above). I grabbed the offending object and plopped it on the bedside table. Only in the light of morning did I see it was Jemima and she had some sprigs of lavender under her arm. Mr greenolive had placed her carefully on my pillow before he went to bed. Carefully and quietly and thoughtfully. Ah, he really is a sweetie.

(Are all English husbands this sweet I wonder?)

IMPORTANT NOTE

Some context for the rest of you:

• Jemima is the knitted doll I bought from Est while I was going through my redundancy crap at work. She represents my inner creative designer. She's kind of like a talisman or muse. We both named her Jemima. She is green and she has wild, out-of-control hair. Mine isn't quite that bad.

• Lavender is my favourite flower and also is known for it calming properties. Whenever I pass a flowering bush I am compelled to pick 12 stalks. Mr greenolive walks ahead and pretends he doesn't know me.

Comments

[greenolive]

Hello to my new readers and thank you very much for leaving a comment. Last thing before bed and first thing in the morning I jump online and check for comments! Mr greenolive is hoping this may ease off sometime in the future, but I don't think so!

[nicolette]

I found your blog via Tiel’s and I want to say I love it! I can’t tell you anything about English husbands, but mine (Dutch) is sure very sweet, as some bloggers tend to say: a keeper!

[Di]

Hope the mad half hour is over! Jemima is fab - as a relatively new reader of your blog I hadn't met Jemima before and I have to say I just love her hair!!

[lusummers]

crikey, i'm a taurean too! i rarely lose my temper but when i do i blow my top. how sweet of your husband with the doll on your pillow, i'm not sure it's the english in him (or if it is, it's passed my husband by!) or if he's just a damn good bloke. as for your question regarding oscar-type speeches, no, i didn't have to give one. i just had to smile sweetly at a camera, it was filmed by a guy with a video camera, and i wanted to ask him not to point the damn thing at my arse as i walked up the steps, but sadly i didn't get a chance!

[greenolive]

Tiel: so more of a sensate than an intuitive. Not teaching, doing project management in their IT section, web projects mostly. I was just thinking about buying a nice A5 notebook to keep myself organised and as a treat. Taurean too? I think I should have blow my Dad off that day, as it was I got off at the wrong train station and travelled 3hrs on public transport for just a 3hr visit. Of course I knitted in the train, didn't want to waste time!

[Tiel]

oh, and I'm a cranky taurean! constantly screaming at the kids....well just last week.

[Tiel]

OK, I just did the test. Did it twice before when I was young, but forgotten the outcome. Not sure if the one I did was the real thing, but it was fun. ISTJ!

You'll be fine. will you be teaching? take a deep breath. Buy yourself a beautiful new notebook every month to write your list in. Something special, not just a piece of paper. YOu'll be fine.

[raspberry]

My husband can be that sweet, when he is awake enough!!!