And what a day it was. A day in which absolutely everything seemed to have signed up for a starring role in a comedy, except nobody had bothered to tell me.

The washing machine decided to crib about its working conditions, while the door handle made a rather determined attempt to catch hold of me. The towel, clearly overcome by disappointment in the day’s proceedings, dramatically threw itself onto the floor. The beagle, meanwhile, concluded that life was simply too stressful to endure and registered his protest in the most inconvenient indoor location possible. The staff seemed convinced they were performing some sort of magical wizardry, while the computer, faced with the sheer volume of work, appeared to be contemplating a complete blackout and early retirement.

And there I was, right in the middle of this magnificent circus, trying to maintain some semblance of order, dignity and mental stability.

But here’s the thing: I survived. I coped. I didn’t lose my marbles (at least not the important ones). And I even managed to remain happy!

So, today’s report card reads:

• Washing machine: Dramatic.
• Door handle: Aggressive.
• Towel: Emotionally unstable.
• Beagle: Overwhelmed and incontinent.
• Staff: Magicians without a licence.
• Computer: One email away from a nervous breakdown.
• Me: Still standing, still smiling, still reasonably sane!

I think the Japanese have it right: よく頑張りました！ (Yoku ganbarimashita!) – Well done, you did your best!

Today wasn’t necessarily graceful, productive or particularly dignified, but it was certainly eventful. And if the greatest achievement of the day was keeping my sense of humour intact while the universe conducted a full-scale test of my patience, then I shall happily accept the gold medal.

Tomorrow, perhaps, the appliances, animals, furniture and technology will agree to cooperate. But I’m not holding my breath. For today, I did well. And that, quite frankly, is more than enough.

#wellbeingalways

#beinghappy

#writngmakesmehappy

#smalltasksmeanmore

#coffeehappiness