When I finally fall into my chair in the office after a long day of work and open the laptop again, I see that the computer would like to be updated. I can’t suppress a deep sigh. “I will do that first thing in September,” I think to myself. While I enter the details of the guests, who arrived an hour ago, into the system, I quickly stuff the three remaining pieces of cinnamon pastry into my mouth. I don’t even like cinnamon. Too bad, because I don’t have time to toast a sandwich at the moment. I barely pause to drink. And I only go to the toilet when I really can’t suppress it anymore. August hasn’t really been good for my health. But luckily it has been for our bank account. But it certainly is no joke. Managing five rooms without your sisters to help you. Add to that my urge to have everything ‘perfectly’ in order and you can imagine what I will look like at the end of the month. Not perfect. That’s one thing that’s for sure.
But despite all, I immediately ignore my father’s advice to skip my weekly report on Spanje Vandaag (a Dutch platform for who I write these blogs every week) for a week. Not a chance! And just rushing it,isn’t an option either. Although I find myself in exactly the same situation as last week (and I could pretty much copy that week’s report), I am (instead) trying to recall the events of the past seven days . That’s easier said than done. Especially when you’ve gotten to the point where half the time you don’t even know what day it is today.
But just when my feet, which for a moment no longer have to walk (or rather: run), finally start to recover a bit and I have found a little bit of peace in my head to actually be able to think, the predicted storm breaks loose. Code yellow, that was issued today, has now become a code orange and – although I already put the parasols safely away last night – I still feel compelled to run outside to take a look. While I’m getting soaking wet, I quickly remove all the covers from the drains on the patio. Because when it rains in Vall de Gallinera, it really rains. While the water gushes down the stairs, I run as fast as I can back to the veranda. With my phone I take a picture. Although I fear that it will cost me a lot of work tomorrow to put the garden and swimming pool in order again for the guests who are still staying with us, I certainly do not dare to complain. Unlike in the Netherlands, we really need the rain here. Moreover, I no longer have to spray the patio clean for the time being. That the pouring rain does it a little less perfect than I would have done it myself, I can get over. I can use all the helping hands. Because mine are busy enough already. That’s why I resolutely decide to remove them from the keyboard. My report is done. And I still have enough time to clean the last room before the new guests arrive. Maybe the laptop doesn’t have to wait until September after all. “It’s your turn,” I mumble instead – just before I click ‘Restart Now’. I watch the process with a bit of envy. I hope it will be my turn soon too. Because I too am starting to falter a bit.