Beneath the Holiday Facade

Just back from holiday and what should have been relaxing wasn’t.

I ordered some things to be in the room for when we arrived. It was the first holiday my new partner and I had in another country, I wanted to celebrate with some chocolates, balloons and some fruit. I think I also ordered a bottle of sparkling wine. These extras cost me 100 euros.

When we got to the hotel and checked in, I was all giddy and excited to see her face, and yet it was met with disappointment. She loved the room, but that was it.

The following day I went and asked at reception, like where’s the stuff I ordered, which was met with a language barrier and I just was like OK let’s leave it, I’ll email the person I was dealing with.

Whilst I was there, you could upgrade to Half Board, and I was told 150 euros total... Turns out it was 150 euros each. I didn’t find out until later.

Then what should have been chilling by the beach and pool, or going off exploring. Instead I sat waiting for emails and getting more disgruntled by it.

They then offered me a complimentary bottle of Cava — at which point I should have said fine OK, but when you get Cava for breakfast every day, it doesn’t feel like the acknowledgement that they’ve made a mistake and they care. It’s just a throw away we fucked up.

They in the end offered us a Bali Bed with chocolate, fruit and a 1.5 litre bottle of water. Which was nice to overlook the sea, and for my partner to get her sun tan topped up more, whilst I tried to hide from the sun, so I don’t burn - but it’s just yeah..

Wouldn’t recommend and won’t be going back anytime soon.

Whilst on holiday, my ex wife and I chatted about my son. His iPad was out of charge, so I couldn’t get hold of him. Wanting to check how he was, I called and then was vented at about how school has been, that he’s been struggling and lashing out, hitting and not wanting to go.

So they’ve been looking at new schools. I’m like OK well let’s talk about that when I get back, and not make any decision too hastily, and give the school at least a chance to comment.

Now, for the last 2 years he has been getting picked on by a kid which has caused the whole anxiety - but so far this year... touch wood... he hasn’t been bullied.

I really don’t care where my son goes to school, so long as he goes to a school that he’s accepted at, can make friends..

He’s autistic, so making friends is hard for him, his emotions run high and he struggles to tell you how he feels.

When we got back on Sunday, I went and picked him up after getting the dogs from my parents..

He then tells me that he wants to go and jump in the pool near his house and not come back out.

So we talk about it, and then I get his mum over and we talk about it - which turns into a heated discussion.

I tried to call for someone that Rupert can talk to to try and understand why he doesn’t want to be here any more. School won’t help, other than saying - he’s probably better moving to a new school, doctors can’t do anything as he’s only 7! Other than refer him into a system that has an 18 month wait!

Like hold on a min this is crazy!

He might not be here in 18 months if he’s talking about it - we need help today!

What do you do? How do you manage?

But your ex, her new partner and your son have all decided it’s for the best for him to move school... and this will resolve the problem..

Sorry - I don’t think it will and why does Mr New Man get a say? He’s been in his life for about 2 months!

Then your normal routine gets back into the flow. Your grandad calls you to ask for his weekly allowance of money, despite giving it to your parents to manage whilst you’re away.

Well it’s Monday and he’s already called me 3 times saying he needs money.

And it’s 1 of two ways he does it - Hey, how are you? What did I call you for ah errrrmm… Any chance of some monies - or Hey, when are you bringing the money over?

He’s got Alzheimer’s and Vascular Dementia but it’s always me that deals with him, always me that has the awkward calls of why do you need it early? What’s happening with it, where did it go?

And then you get the argument back that says, Why do you need to know what I do with my money.

It now gets to the point that I don’t want to answer his calls, or if I do what mood is he going to be in.

At this point you’re probably thinking what else could go wrong, is this the end of the rant?

Well nope - you’re wrong!

You come back to work after the holiday, and find the usual amount of emails, and then work that should have carried on has stopped and waited for you.

Mostly the migration work that you’ve been doing since the start of July, that came in sideways and pushed everything else out of the way.

You argued about it before it happened, but you were told, we can do this!

Yes, let’s do it the right way, migrate the 200 people into our business rather than push 35 people out! It will solve a lot of problems, but what do you know when you’ve done migration of 32,000 worldwide for 1 company, 60,000+ for another!

Conversations go, can we reduce this policy it’s stopping us working, No that goes against our cyber plan, Okay - I’ll go ask someone else.. you do that...

Oh Jordan can we look at reducing this, no this is what I told them..

Ah ok, thanks..

Then someone else asks you and you’re in the circle.

Then you have people from your own department passing tickets to you, because they don’t know how to do something - Ok let me just Google that for you and pass it back to you. How else did we learn to do it?

Oh you also have Co-Pilot, have you asked them?

Then on top of this - your sister calls you at 8pm going can you come and fit a stair gate at my house please, as your toddler got out of bed last night and made his way to her bedroom.

Yeah have you got everything, Yeah just need a drill - OK - I’m on my way..

Get there, house is a mess and I mean a mess. Dirty clothes everywhere, kitchen a complete mess, washing up with old food still in the bowls...

Then her sperm donor who apparently she was engaged to owes her money because they cancelled his O2 phone that was in her name for £500 and hasn’t paid her so now she has no money, she still pays for his car insurance..

She has an engagement ring still. I’m like sell it - pay off the debt he’s left you in..

No she wants to keep it so the baby can have it..

Like what?! Why, just get rid of it - so I made her cry, didn’t fit a stair gate, gave my nephew his bottle for bed, and when he got comfy to sleep I left!

I just feel like I don’t have anyone I can turn to and vent any more.

When I tried to vent to my new partner she didn’t answer the phone, she was busy - yet when she phones me, even if I’m in a meeting - I answer the call and make sure she’s OK, before saying - I’m just in a meeting can I call you back!

I was looking at moving into Wrexham, close to the office I work in now, close to my partner but further away from everyone else.

Yet, I’d still have to pick up all the pieces even from 50 miles away.

It does make you wonder if I dropped something would someone come to me and help me - or would I just be left alone.

And it’s only Tuesday!