I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to have so little in the way of tension in my shoulders.
Six more days, and I’ll join the majority of the crew in the mass chaos of debark in San Diego, I’ll schlep my ungainly luggage across the acres of airport, throw it onto a conveyor and won’t see it again until I step off the plane in Victoria if things go smoothly. The luggage transfer should take place within the US, so they should be able to send it straight through without my having to recheck it through Canadian customs.
I have work lined up for my Christmas holidays which does not require me to wear a uniform, stick to someone’s schedule or even leave the house, so that’s all good. And this is starting to look like the best Christmas ever simply because I’m going to be home for it. It feels like ages since I’ve been home for the holidays. I need to do things like wrapping paper shopping and card shopping, but for the most part my Christmas shopping is taken care of. There are still a few people I need to pick things up for, but I know what I’m getting them. Except for Hunt and Alasse, because they’re bloody impossible to buy for and he hasn’t given me the slightest clue as to what he wants (hey, Alasse, if you’re reading this, consider that a hint! I need ideas woman!)
And finally my contract confirming my place on the World Cruise has come in. I wasn’t expecting it until December, and in truth I’ve been gnawing my fingernails to the bone about it for various reasons. I imagine it was the third email I sent to my supervisor saying that I had no fingernails left that probably tore it, though it’s more likely they just made the last of their decisions sooner than they expected and so the paperwork went out more quickly. In truth, I’ve been confirmed for the GWV for nearly a year, and I’m apparently confirmed for it indefinitely, something that I never really anticipated when I walked up the gangway for Alaska what seems like a very, very long time ago some days.
So now, I have nothing to worry about. My book club has one more meeting left, and then they too can disperse and leave me to finish the last of the admin that’s required before I pack everything up and hand it over to Langford for the Christmas season. I don’t even have to worry about coming back to a disaster since my current co-librarian will be staying on over Christmas. I can leave him with a list of things that need to be done in preparation for the long cruise, and walk away without concern for once. It’s a nice change.
All things considered, this has probably been the least stressful contract of my career so far. A distinct lack of drama and a quiet place to rest my head at night probably helped with that.