Energy, kids and ankles

I came up with this title after I wrote the post (I’m one who likes to let my writing direct me, unless of course an awesome heading pops into my head and I muse based on it).  Anyway, I’m making a point about this because I want to set your expectations: No, I did not witness a little kid with too much energy spraining his or her ankle. In fact, the three items have nothing to do with each other today. Please, feel free to collect $200 as you pass GO:

First off, my best friend came out here approximately a week and a half ago (there, that’s why I haven’t posted recently!) for a handful of days.  It was amazing having someone from home who knows me so well here – I didn’t realise how much I’ve missed having someone to call up no matter what time it is and talk about whatever I wanted to, whenever I wanted to. We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to jettison via a regional train to Bruges, Belgium on the Friday, and to Paris, France, via the high-speed train for a Saturday-Sunday trip.  She left behind a really thoughtful gift and then went home to be engaged only one week later!! (Congratulations Mother Megan!) Anyway, I can’t wait to see her again at the Holidays.

Now, the rest of this week is looking bright! I have a few things going on, so I thought I’d share them here:

First, during the day tomorrow (18 Nov) I’m attending an event organised by Friends of Europe.  It’s an Energy Summit and it’ll address how what needs to happen in Europe from an energy infrastructure standpoint so that it’s energy vision for 2020 can be achieved & its future secured. We helped book a speaking opportunity for a client, and so I’m sure that hearing him, the Energy Commissioner, IEA Chief  Economist and others will be insightful, intriguing and exciting.

In the evening I’m attending UNICEF’s Quiz for Children, an annual fundraiser held in Brussels that raises money for needy children across the European Union – with a special emphasis on health and safety.  My office sponsors two tables, and I will be seated at the one with our Managing Partner, most junior Comms team member, and a funny middle-man, my former roommate.  Collectively, we represent a Brit, German, Scot and American (and Brazilian, though I don’t know what good that will do me in this instance!).  Perhaps my contribution can be keeping the drinks coming??

On Friday I am finally seeing my orthopaedic (orthopedic, both spellings are correct ) doctor to -hopefully- finally have my radiographs read and determine what’s wrong with my ankle since it still hurts, gets swollen, has a limited range of motion, etc. And then Friday night a Belgian friend and I were planning to go to the movies (my first since I’ve been here!) and potentially also dinner.

Saturday has some potential fun also on the plate, but  since we all know how plans can change, I’ll let my post at this.  Overall, as you can see, life is living!  Next time perhaps I’ll get back to musing about how “life is like a box of chocolates” … only mine is fully of the Belgian kind

A joke a day … would get me fired right away

I just laughed SO HARD at a joke that a Spanish colleague was trying to tell at work that I started to cry. And then I almost got hysterical laughing and giggling at myself for reacting to the joke and for the reaction my reaction generated among my colleagues.

<Pause. Insert fact that I work in an office with an open floor-plan.>

Yes, there were approximately 9 of us sitting here, bouncing up and down in our chairs with huge grins on our faces, trying not to make a huge outburst out of it, until tears started rolling down my cheeks and the jokester came over to try to calm me down.

That’s the second time it has happened to me since I’ve been here! Chicago never did that to me, what the heck??

Quickie

I’ve been remiss the past few weeks and I hear that you want an update. Here’s a quickie:

I’m walking with a virtually-normal gait, finally. This is not true when I’m on stairs though, so I encourage you to take the escalater with me

Today I’m having a number of MRI/radiology tests. In fact, right this moment there’s some highlighter flowing through my veins, which makes me think it would be really funny if the wind made my eyes burn and my tears came out bright yellow or my bandaid fell off my arm and some hot pink started oozing out, ha ha ha.

Anyway, the tests are to figure out why I have “swelling” which is restricting my range of motion and whether it is actually swelling or a symptom of a circulation problem. No worries friends, I promise you’ll hear the details first!

For now though, back to the hospital for some “regular” radios and to daydream about my hot pink blood before the second round of MRIs.