A Road Not Taken

We had such good plans

Finally weekend! That's what I was thinking yesterday... Something different for a change. Finally, we had a trip to Belgium planned for today. And that, especially for me, would mean an escape from the daily grind. It is simply a necessary trip, as I said yesterday, but a necessary trip also means a different daytime activity. Belgium, the land of chocolate and charming villages. Oh what am I talking about now? It's just a fact that at the moment I like everything I don't see every day. Sometimes people are easy to make happy. We would have to look carefully at how we were going to get to Belgium because of the farmers' protests, but we were determined not to let that stop us.

Flu Time Again

And so when I woke up this morning around 9:30 am, I was quite disappointed to see my partner lie down on the couch again just fifteen minutes later. When he lay down I knew enough, and when I heard him coughing, then I heard enough too. The trip to Belgium would not take place, and not because there was a farmers' protest going on, but because my partner was simply not fit. While I was sick with the flu earlier this week, it was now my partner's turn. Seriously, I swear, it's the worst timing ever... but you don't do anything about it. I want a lot, it may be necessary, but if you are not fit, you will not get very far. And I can't ask a sick partner to drive to Belgium. I didn't think going alone was an option either, that's not fun. So there was my partner lying on the couch, coughing and trying to get some sleep... and I was sitting in front of my PC, feeling disappointed! Damn it!

No Belgium Bliss Today

I have now learned not to look for the news every day, but today I wanted to see if the farmers' protests were still going on. And on the A67, where we wanted to cross the border, it was the only border crossing that was still closed this morning. When I saw that, I thought for a moment, "Hmmm, maybe it's a good thing we couldn't go today." We planned to avoid those blockades by taking the back roads, but in the end, it always is the easiest to drive on the highway anyway. So that stream of dissatisfied farmers who bully the citizens with their tractors... we let them pass us by today.

Every Day Is The Same

No getaway, no distractions, just the same walls as every day, the same environment as every day. The desire for distraction grows and creates an inner turmoil that makes my mood start to become quite explosive. Don't get me wrong, I love my dogs, and am grateful for and happy with their company. I like being in the area where we live, but there are also disadvantages. It is quiet, which is nice, but can also be a disadvantage. It can be very lonely, and I've been having more and more trouble with that lately. Weeks, months can go by where I don't see anyone other than my partner when he's home, and strangers in the supermarket I go to once a week. I go for a walk with my dogs every day, but even there I rarely meet anyone. And if I meet someone, the question is whether I can have a chat at that moment. Depending on who it is, and which dog I have with me. Most people walking in the woods don't stop, they have their own program, and if I happen to have Skipper with me, I certainly don't stop either, but I avoid everyone for Skipper's peace of mind.

Feeling Like A Hermit

It may all sound more dramatic than it is, but it is not always fun. I'm good at being alone, but I've never seriously considered becoming a hermit. LOL. Maybe I should learn a lesson from this? Should I stay still while I want to move? Should I listen to those voices in my head screaming for change? Whatever it is, today I had to swallow my disappointment and turn it into understanding. I continued with my daily tasks, washing the dishes, tidying up, dogs, going to the store to get some extra vitamin C for my partner. Shopping had to be done, we wanted to do that in Belgium, but unfortunately no Belgium today. Then I walked the dogs again, played outside, and went to cuddle the horses in the meadow... unfortunately, they are not ours, but that doesn't stop me from cuddling them. I worked on my newest pyrography project. Just a day like any other day in this past month. Tomorrow is another day... and next week is another Saturday, and Belgium is still in exactly the same place. Let's hope everything goes better then...

There Is Always Next Week

The lesson I apparently had to learn today was that sometimes the road to Belgium is not straight, but full of surprises and unexpected obstacles. I take comfort in the knowledge that there will always be new opportunities, even if the road g seems blocked. The latest news about the farmers' protests is certainly hopeful, they are clearing the blockages and cleaning the road. Let's hope that next week the flu will also be gone, because that was the ultimate obstacle that kept us at home today.

^{Photos without credit are always my own, taken by myself.}