Winter "geek-off"

Choosing the right shoes for a weekend away is not easy. With the autumn kick-off packing disaster still in memory, I was a bit worried. Would I manage to get it right this time? (I mean, WHO in their right mind brings a sequin jacket, but NO SLEEPING BAG when going sailing on a tall ship?). The result was, of course, som SERIOUS over-packing this time around. You know, just in case. Still, I managed to restrain myself - at least to some extent. Limiting myself to just five (!) pairs of shoes. Including the pair worn to work on the day. But - EXCLUDING my ski boots. Do those count as actual SHOES or are they categorized as skiing equipment? I do not know.

Time for the winter kick-off with my lovely colleagues. After a pretty tough (but exciting!) week at work, I considered staying at home to get some rest - and nurse my cold. That might have been the really sensible and grown-up thing to do, but I guess you will know by now that those two words are very rarely used when describing yours truly. Girls just want to have fun. And since Mr. Incredible would soon be in a different time zone, me staying at home feeling sorry about being alone and abandoned would be straight out silly. I am a bit of a social animal. I do not do "alone" that well. AND - I am afraid of the dark. Meaning that being all by myself in an empty apartment would not be my idea of the perfect weekend. And - finally, I guess everyone must surely have forgotten my "overly charming" attendance at the Christmas Party by now, right?

I am very glad I decided to go, as these gatherings are always a lot of fun. I am actually very impressed by how the company I work for have been able to hand-pick all of these fun and incredibly intelligent party animals. But somehow they did. Amazing. I should perhaps also mention that my colleagues are all also very positive/including and do care a lot about each other. Oh, and I forgot. They are also extremely good-looking. And great dancers. It does not get much better than that, I'll tell you.

We left by nerdmobile (bus) from the office after work on Friday. And we got about half-way, before our bus broke down. Fortunately, we had another one right behind us - with room for all the nerds (but not the luggage), so we still made it to the hotel on time. Dinner was served in a "lavvo". This is a huge (Sami-inspired?) tent, with an open fire in the middle. Where we roasted meat. Very Norwegian. Very smoky. To the extent that I still think my hair smells like an old fire. Although washing it four times since Friday night. After dinner it was time for the yearly "awards ceremony". Two from my team were nominated for the individual awards, and one even won her category. And to top that - quite a few from our team were  also involved in what was awarded the "Project of the year". I am quite proud of being part of such a great team.

Our left-behind luggage arrived with dessert. Nice to be able to change out of the smoky attire from the tent dinner, to go to the night club. Which was closing just as we were all reaching Nirvana. Have you ever noticed how Friday nights out always seem so short? Fortunately, we were all invited for an after-party at one of the apartments. With champagne! When I went to bed at 5.30 AM, I had been awake for 24 hours straight. which seemed to be just what the doctor ordered. Because - guess what? My two-week-old cold had finally vanished. Hah.

By some miracle, I woke up at 8.30 AM without having set the alarm, just in time for the Saturday sessions. After lunch we had time available for skiing. IF we felt like it. As my skiing helmet felt a bit tight at that time, I felt more like sleeping. And since I did not go skiing, I did not think I deserved to go after-skiing either. (Without the skiing, it would just be "after". Or maybe I should have introduced the new concept "after-nap"? Where people would wear pajamas, instead of ski attire? Could be a winning formula, I don't know.)

Without the kick-start of the after ski party, Saturday evening was pretty quiet. Of course, there was an after-party. But I was sound asleep in my bed by then. I just do not have the stamina to party heavily two nights in a row. (Just for the record, this is not an age issue. I never could not do this - even at nineteen.)

Funny though, that during Sunday breakfast I happened to hear about me being at the party the night before. Have I started sleep-walking to after-parties now? I surely hope not.

Sunday was spent eating, skiing, then eating some more, before skiing again, then getting on a bus for a couple of hours - to get home. A bus containing a group of nineteen very silent colleagues. And one guy eating crisps. Loudly. I guess it must have been all the fresh air that drained us of energy. We are not so used to The Great Outdoors, you know.

Although it is nice to be home again, it surely is boring being home ALONE. Good thing my dear husband will be home very soon. In just over 142 hours. I just cannot wait to pick him up at the airport next Saturday. Can I just stay in bed and sleep until then? Please?