FROM THE NORM TO THE MARGIN

Good loser?

What a heat! Today it feels like thirty-two degrees, thirty-eight. The humidity, added to the intense temperatures, makes me feel like I'm going through a seasonal menopause. I love it. I feel that the amounts of liquid I ingest immediately come out of every pore of my skin. I have never suffered from the heat, summer has always been my favourite season. But now I have to admit that I am embarrassed when I find myself in front of other people who are swimming. I even sweat from the top of my arms! I liquefy. It's neither pleasant nor very advantageous.

To work with my daughter, we go to Starbucks: refreshing drinks, no distractions and air conditioning. Well, that's usually the case, but we must not be the only ones to have thought about it because there is no more room inside. A little tour on the terrace. We sit down in the shade on the only bench we can find and all of a sudden miracle. The wind lifts. We can literally breathe again. Happiness.

My daughter suggests that, before we start, we play some games she has on her mobile phone. As I am as serious as she is, I tell her that I agree, but only a little. On the agenda: memory, car and tank races, pool and so on. I often say that I'm a good player but I concede (reluctantly) that I rant because I don't have the reflexes and spatial references of my offspring. In short, no matter how many times I play, I lose. It's like clockwork. I am convinced that she trains day and night to be at this level, it is not possible otherwise! I can't be that bad????!

I then hide behind the work that still needs to be done to stop playing. You have to be responsible and mature at some point. A bit of bad faith from time to time can't hurt, can it? Last night, I was already struggling to win at cards, whether it was speed or scopa. I'm willing to accept the fact that I'm getting older physically (I don't have much choice anyway) but never to be beaten at games by my children! It was fine when they were smaller, at least for me...

Well, back to the serious stuff. I have to stop procrastinating and get to work. I've got lots of projects in mind. I have to organise it all and plan the steps to take action. Dreaming is good but not enough. I need to stop making excuses to put off deadlines and get started.

Added to my laziness, the end of year celebrations are fast approaching. I only have presents for my children who will be near me for the holidays. I still have to take care of my grandchildren, daughters, nephews and nieces in France.

And above all I want to maintain the tradition of letters from Santa to my little chicks. I have to sit down and think about the content so that everyone can find themselves in what I write. I want to convey my love for them through words. And I have to think of a way to send all this and for these messages to arrive at the right place at the right time. It would be nice if for once I didn't set the alarm for seven o'clock on the morning of December twenty-five because I was overwhelmed by last-minute events. I'm a pro at this but I'd like to change that. I feel like I'm more efficient when I'm under pressure but it's exhausting and stressful.

I found a new resolution to add to my long list for the new year: make a program and stick to it.

We're not there yet!