My week: a supposedly fun thing I’ll never do again

David Foster Wallace had it all wrong with “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again”. Give me a cruise around the Caribbean ANY TIME rather than the past week. Because I did a very stupid thing. Actually, a series of very stupid things.

The first stupid thing I did was not taking my boss up on her extremely kind offer of leaving before Christmas.

No, I said. That could get hairy for everyone, what with them having holidays planned and all.

It would be better, I said, if I worked until the week of January 6, when my replacement arrives.

I know. Stupid.

I should I have listen to her. Because yes, it did get hairy over Christmas. For me.

I totally under-estimated how much work is involved in keeping a website running without someone as awesome as my sidekick, Kahla.

Sure, I had the divine Jo writing stories and tweeting on the non holidays, and the lovely Elissa and Mary Facebooking on the holidays … but … I still almost had an aneurysm.

I looked particularly wild-eyed when Husband popped his head in the study on Monday morning and asked if I’d like a cup of tea … because I’d just realised I’d published iVillage’s whole day’s Facebook updates at 10am. Every. Single. One.

I still have no idea how.

It didn’t help that I got my annual Christmas cold. Which I caught from the youngest, as I do annually. (We kicked off the tradition in New York five years ago – poor little petal was so sick she sat down on the sofa beside her over-stuffed Santa sack and didn’t even see it.)

There was also the small matter of my boss worrying we were a little too Christmassy on Christmas Eve.

Guilty as charged. Deep breaths.

Fortunately this story came along …

>> It looks like any other fairytale wedding … until you notice there are THREE brides walking down the aisle … and they’re marrying each other >> http://bit.ly/1d4jsma

Just when you think the world can’t possibly produce any more awesome stories … it does. Humanity is a treasure trove.

But there was still the small matter of making sure there was enough content on the site on Christmas Day, Boxing Day etc. So while I thought I’d have a relaxed few days off mid-week, I instead I spent a good three hours on Boxing Day morning working like a banshee to get Friday ready.

And onto my next big mistake … deciding to go to Newcastle on Boxing Day for some “family time”. Bwahahahaha. Mum had assured me she finally had wi-fi so I drove up, sent Dad to the movies with the kids to watch Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2, and got to work …

And realised that while Mum may have wi-fi, she has a laptop that is virtually a typewriter with a computer screen.

(“Darling, you look a bit stressed” she said to me on Friday morning … Mum, you have no idea.)

Mum’s laptop and Facebook had never previously been acquainted … and they didn’t get along. In a mad panic I called my friends Darren and Kirsten and asked if – despite it being Boxing Day and all – I could come to their place for a few hours and use their electronic equipment.

Fortunately they agreed … and there went another three hours of my life. It got a bit scary when they confessed they weren’t sure how to download pictures on an Apple Mac – and technology isn’t exactly my strong point – but we eventually sorted it out.

I convinced myself I’d manage somehow on Mum’s antique the next morning, but after two fruitless hours I was on the phone to Darren and Kirsten again … and returned for another stress out …

When I finally emerged from their study on Friday evening, they fed me the most amazing wok-fried prawns, and roast pork from their outdoor oven, with some French bubbly … and I almost felt human.

And then it was the weekend. Thank god. Well, aside from me needing to get Monday ready … but I sorted some of that out at 5.30am this morning.

(Why at 5.30am? Because Husband is asleep and can’t tick me off for my madness. My sister gave me the mug – above – for Christmas and he thinks it’s way too appropriate)

In other news this week …

I took the kids to see the most awesome Christmas lights.

And … it was Christmas.

Which was about it really, cause there was NO FREAKING TIME to write anything else.

Meanwhile, over at iVillage …

>> There’s a reason this exhausted new mum’s sleep advice went viral in 2013. Click here and you’ll want to give her a high-5 >>http://bit.ly/1cX2p1I

>> Are these the cruellest words a kid can say to their mum? >>http://bit.ly/1ecfAOs

>> Why I’m still dancing at 39 weeks http://bit.ly/1cJyutG