....... (fill in inarticulate grunt of your choice)

During all those long, PMS-ridden months I'd completely forgotten how bad the first day of my period is when there are no preliminary symptoms. Now I remember. Urgh. Very, very achy tummy, and I'm horribly tired because I only slept four hours. Fortunately it's just the first day that's so bad, so there's light at the end of the tunnel. Still, right now it's rather shitty, and the sore muscles in my lower back (Pilates) nicely complement the feeling of acute soreness on the front side.
So I'm wearing very comfy clothes today -- nothing would be worse than something tight or constricting -- and since it's rather cool outside, a turtleneck jumper and jeans skirt are just the right kind of warm and snug.
And of course I'm hungry, which might be partly due to just having sent off an internet order for groceries. Well, today's a day for pampering myself, to there shall be soup and bread for lunch, and I foresee pasta for dinner. I'll also cancel tennis, because it's absolutely no use playing when I'm feeling like that. Tomorrow I'll play two hours (instead of just one today), and Irene and I will have another pilates lesson in the early evening.
May I say that I'm rather looking forward to 4 p.m. today? I don't even need to go grocery shopping, as there's enough at home for tonight, and the stuff I ordered will be delivered tomorrow, so I can go straight home, change into something even more comfy (oh, the marvellous sensation of the thick, woollen socks Janine knitted for me...) and dedicate myself to pampering the sorry old carcass and playing with assorted cats.
Does that sound as if I was 70? Suspiciously so, I'd say. Only if I was 70, those cramps would be a thing of the past...

On the plus side, things are wonderfully calm right now -- after calling early elections, to be held on 5 June, and throwing a bit of dirt at each other, the main opponents are obviously gathering their strength for the really dirty fighting election campaign, and nothing much is happening. In the face of such scarcity of things to be reported, boss is getting quite antsy, but short of fabricating something, not even he can think of any urgent stuff. Bless him and his loveliness, because surely there are not many ambassadors, or bosses for that matter, who'd laugh when you say, "Sorry, I'm feeling lousy today. And you? Did you also have a bad night, or are you just looking like you did?"
It'll be difficult, getting used to the new one (unless of course he also has a good sense of humour).
On Tuesday, which was pretty much like today, i.e. grey-ish, cool-ish and not much to do, he strolled into my office, saying, "It's sooo loooonely up there!"
Me: ????
Boss: Well, usually there are two women there, and now there's nobody! All empty and quiet! (Both Irene and Jasna were on holiday)
Me: Oh, I'm sorry you're feeling lonely and abandoned. Should I keep you company?
Boss: Nah, that's not the same.
Me: Should I get you some sort of interactive toy, maybe?
Try that on most bosses, and you'd get the dressing-down of your life.
It's 90% sure, though, that he's going to stay till the end of October. Every day counts!