Unfortunately, the holiday is over

The holiday is over again. My partner went back to work last Monday for his first day after a well-deserved break, and to be honest, I am very disappointed to be alone all day again, with only the company of our dog Skipper around me. This year I have to get used to this fact more than ever before.

A series of fun times

Even though we didn't do many special things, our holiday was a series of fun times. We were very lucky with the weather. Two weeks of sunny days and pleasant temperatures meant we were mainly outside. It was wonderful to enjoy the sun and the long, warm days.

Some jobs in the house had to be done, such as painting the walls in the kitchen. The roof of our garden shed, where all of my partner's woodworking tools are, also had to be made waterproof again. Although these jobs were necessary, we consciously chose to also really take the time to relax, be together, and enjoy what we have.

Swimming with Skipper

We spent a lot of time with Skipper. We often went swimming with him, had a veggie BBQ in the garden together, and simply enjoyed each other's company. It was a good holiday, full of peace and connection. That is exactly what makes it so disappointing to return to normal life.

Returning to reality

My partner feels like he is wasting his time at work. There is often not enough work at the company where he works and people just sit around and watch. Yes, he gets paid for it, and that is the only reason he still does it. But even that salary is very minimal. Last week we saw that he only has a fraction more income than someone on welfare, and they don't have to do 'anything' for it. Unfortunately, there is no choice; society is structured in such a way that everyone is made dependent on money.

And I hate that I am dependent on myself all day again. Fortunately, I have Skipper around me. He also has to get used to this change. He is calm and also seems to have trouble with this transition. The past few weeks were also more fun for him; when I had to tidy up inside, he could still be outside with my partner. Because my partner did not have to work, the car was at home and we often got in the car together. Exploring new environments or going for a nice swim. This is all not possible now. No partner at home during the workday, so no car, and nothing in the area where I can walk with him to go for a swim. It is not easy for him either.

Back to the daily rhythm

It always takes some getting used to after such a period of relaxation and being together. Hopefully, I will soon get back into my daily rhythm and Skipper will soon find his rhythm again so that we can all keep ourselves busy again and pick up the things we want to do. At the moment we still have to do some work, the wooden window frames need to be repaired. Since our landlord is quite lax and does not do any maintenance on the outside, we also have problems on the inside. It goes TOO far for us to do the maintenance on the outside, but we try to repair the inside. We do not do that for him but for our comfort. The housing market in the Netherlands is so bad that we do not have the option to move. If that option were there, we would leave today.

Some thoughts

During the holidays I thought a lot about how we can improve our lives. We want to spend more time outside, more time together, and more time to do what we like. We want to find a way for my partner to quit his job and spend more time at home with us. Making an income from doing what we like. But the reality is that we are now again swallowed up by the daily obligations.

I find that this transition is harder for me this year than in other years. Maybe because the holidays were so relaxed and happy. The contrast with everyday life is bigger than ever before. Still, I try to stay optimistic. Every day brings new opportunities and possibilities. And with Skipper by my side, I know that I am not alone.

^{An outing to Belgium}

Some things to remind myself

In the coming weeks, I want to try to integrate little bits of that holiday joy into our daily lives. Maybe we can go for a walk in the evening more often, or plan a trip on the weekend, even if it is something small. It is important to hold on to those moments of happiness and not let them disappear into the daily grind.

So yes, the holidays are over and it is hard to get back into the old rhythm. But it is also an opportunity to think about what is really important and find ways to bring more of those happy moments into our daily lives. We will adapt and carry on, as we always do. And who knows, maybe this will be one of the best years yet, simply because we are doing things differently.

We will make it!

Skipper and I will get through this, together. We've done it before and we'll do it again. In the end, everything will be okay.