Acting Up

Bit of a weird week this. I went into work fresh from the Bank Holiday, blissfully unaware that my boss was about to drop a bombshell on the department. She's just been offered a secondment for 3 months but possibly up to a year, and has 'asked' me to cover her post whilst away. I don't really have a choice - for one thing, I don't want a stranger put in post above me, and for another, I'd be a fool to say no. So, as of next Tuesday I'm the Acting Senior Sister. Or ASS, as my father kindly pointed out.

This is all well and good, but somehow I still have to fit in all the clinical stuff I'm already doing. AND not get sick - I've had a flare-up of lupus each October for the past 3 years, and was looking at how I could make September easier as I'm sure my flare-ups are associated with the extra busy-ness that September brings to the Wheeler household, courtesy of being married to an assistant head at the start of the autumn term (I'm married to him at other times too, but you know what I mean. Don't be difficult).

SO...what can I do to make life easier? Thoughts so far...

• DON'T get involved in organising an alternative worship service in September. Even if they ask you to write the theme toon.
• Don't start watching any high-commitment US drama a la 24, The West Wing, The Sopranos etc. It means late nights and endless energy-sapping speculation about what will happen next.
• Teach the cats to forage for their own food. This should also work for the children.
• Rather than washing the clothes, spray on Febreze. Rather than washing the children, spray on furniture polish.
• Don't bother to read the book for book club this month. Instead, turn up and nod sagely, using occasional well-placed sentences such as 'I thought it had rather a Dickensian whimsy', or 'Could you pass me the olives, please? Oh yes, and the red wine...'
• Put all the Christmas decoration up now, and insist that I can't possibly clean the house while the decs are up. Should be good till January.