Mastering stress.....

My wife Melanie is entering the last few weeks of her dissertation for her Masters degree and the stresses and strains are really beginning to show. Sleepless nights, heightened irritability, red eyes and nails chewed down to the quick - all classic signs of stress. Mel says I should pull myself together as it's not me doing the dissertation. She's actually fine if a little frazzled.

So I'm doing what any loving, supportive husband would do in these circumstances and I'm taking myself off fishing for a few days. She will I'm sure appreciate the ability to concentrate without me interrupting her to ask for the 12th time that day whether she's seen my car keys or relaying the latest utterly fascinating fact I've just read or heard on the radio.

We have just three weeks left before she finishes with Academia for good. This particular phase has been about 9 months during which time we have not had a proper holiday and we have both missed our place in France. We have a two week break planned at the end of June where we both plan to sleep solidly for 48 hours before assessing progress on our rennovation project. Mels parents are heading off there next week for 8 weeks to finish off the holiday home.

Yesterday we packed a removal lorry off which will be heading over to France in about two weeks time. I've also been indulging in the most stressful form of retail therapy, buying the remaining furniture for the place and watching our remaining funds deplete in front of our very eyes.

Next year, we'll be renting out the holiday home and recouping a little bit of the investment we have made. What was originally supposed to be a 2 year project is now approaching 4 years and we have spent double what we had originally planned. It is now looking fantastic though and whilst it has been stressful at times, particularly during the height of the credit crunch, we have both enjoyed the experience mainly due to the fact that Mels parents have done all the hard graft.

So I'll start the holiday countdown now with lots of exciting things to look forward to before then including of course next weeks FA cup final. I managed to get a ticket for my sister and I so we'll be heading down early to meet up with old mates. I plan to repeat every single detail of the semi-final. Same clothes, same route, same pubs. The only thing I will change is to consume half of the alcohol as I'd quite like to remember more of the day than the brief highlights of the semi which now reside in my memory banks. Somebody posted the following photo of us on the Wembley roundabout, a photo I am ashamed to admit I do not remember being taken....

I will of course let you know how that goes.....