A fabulous day

Yesterday was a good day. It was not a special day and I still had to work but nonetheless I was in great form and enjoyed almost every minute of the day/evening. It was the last day of my work week--gotta say I love this 4-day work week lark.
I woke early even though I had gone to sleep quite late. My lungs were in bits from too much smoking the previous evening and I was somewhat tired. I read an entertaining blog, which always puts me in decent form for dealing with the numpties at work later. I also took my time going in and decided to postpone preparing for a painful meeting.
On my way into work I stopped at my regular coffee shop; they know me by name and I chat and gossip with them every morning. Usually, they ask if I am running late (yes is usually the answer). I have even celebrated one of their birthdays there, joining in for the cake and singing birthday wishes as one does.
Then I walked to the second tram station, doing the mindful thing by being aware of my autumnal surroundings. A heroin addict stopped me to ask for a light and didn't even thank me. She had her own crumpled cigarette though.
On the tram I noticed most of the people looked as tired as I felt. I texted my friend to see if he was as wrecked as I was. Then at the other end of my journey I crossed the river, lit a cigarette, and proceeded to the office. The painful meeting had already started but I took my time joining the others, doing more important work at my desk first. I arrived at the meeting just in time for my status update. Since I had not prepared anything I had them show my previous week's status and said it was remarkably similar because I had been dragged into so many meetings this week that I had not had time to complete all my planned tasks.
As Travelling Fille passed my desk after the meeting she leaned over and whispered "I have lost the will to live." I laughed. At least I know it is not just me who finds the numpties annoying. They love their inefficient meetings and can shite on about the same topic repeatedly for a long time. I tend to leave the meetings when they start to repeat themselves, excusing myself by saying I have something else planned/urgent, etc. I get away with murder at work so cannot complain too much... not that it stops me.
Travelling Fille and I went out for lunch. We had not chatted properly all week so we filled each other in on our respective doings. We avoided talking about work, focusing more on our plans for this weekend. She is going to my favorite restaurant tonight with her family. I was unsure what exactly I was going to be up to, other than the home visit I will be getting Sunday for the woman to determine whether I will provide a good home for her bullied cat (bullied by the other cats, not her).
At my own, efficient meeting in the afternoon, I had to scold my boss and Travelling Fille for talking out of turn. The meeting lasted 15 minutes and then I had to chat to my boss to get him back on-side after scolding him. All my colleagues tease me about my schoolmarm ways. I don't care, it gets things done.
I gathered up my laptop since I have a bit of work to do this weekend and headed off early. I met up with Wise Woman and filled her in on the latest. I told her I use my interactions with my colleagues as a gauge to see how I am doing health wise. When I mentioned that even at the best of times I find some of them irritating, she said that perhaps that is because they are annoying people.
Then I went to my local Italian restaurant/cafe for a glass of wine. At one point I went outside to smoke a cigarette perched on the ledge. An elderly Irish woman passed me by and I smiled hello. She said "It looks like you are enjoying yourself." Her words made me stop and think... I replied "Yes, I am" with a big grin. I had almost finished my wine when my favorite Spanish physiotherapist/waiter arrived for work. We chatted and I teased him about missing the opportunity to meet some pretty women last Friday. Since he works two jobs, he is always exhausted and wasn't up to socializing then. We joked that his only solution would be to marry a rich woman, but I pooh-poohed his chances of doing that.
With a "ciao" I headed back into town to meet my lovely Italian friends, Bella Donna and Tipo Nordico. I got the tram to Busáras bus station and then got a taxi to the southside. I haven't been in Ballsbridge in years. I also hadn't seen Bella Donna and Tipo Nordico for at least one year. We met in a pub and then walked over to a Japanese restaurant that they like. The food and company were very good.
We discussed Italian politics, among other topics, as well as where all of us want to live when we retire--even though all three of us having been living in Ireland for the best part of two decades, none of us want to be old here. The weather is only part of it. Perhaps we will all end up in the same village in France, Spain, or Italy... Any other takers?
After dinner I got a taxi back to the northside, my comfort zone. I had the driver stop by my local when I saw that it was open. It had reopened the previous night but I had already made alternative plans for Wednesday. I joined a neighbor of mine who was there on his own. He told me all about his trip to Spain last week and his plan to retire early in two years. Retirement and other countries/cultures seems to have been the theme for the evening.
I left the pub after literally one celebratory glass of wine, congratulating the bar manager and the son of the owner on the pub's reopening. I missed my local. Home to bed I went.
Gentle readers (all four or five of ye), I hope you have as delightful of a day as my day was yesterday.