Saturday 18 January 2014

I can't say "I never win anything" anymore

So, obviously, this was NOT my lucky week.

On the other hand, I do feel lucky in a lot of ways.

Mr. Turtle and I both were able to take Tuesday off and spend quality time together. We walked in a nearby park (narrowly avoiding slipping on the ice that is all over the city and its environs) and enjoyed the view of the mountains and  foothills. We went for lunch. We were there for each other. It matters.

Everyone at my school whom I've told about IVF #1 and its sorry conclusion continues to be very supportive. A few  people I work with, but whom I hadn't disclosed  to, asked about my  health as they were wondering about all the medical appointments. So I gave them the Coles Notes version, explaining that while I'm actually quite comfortable with people knowing, it can be a burden to have to always update people, so sometimes it's easier to not be specific. But I did appreciate the concern.

My students had a very good week, and everything I'd planned  for them, including field trips - one of which I missed - went beautifully. This was a big help in that it reduced my stress, and it was also a good lesson that things can go just fine even when I'm not worrying about them. For a lot of my life I've had this notion that if I don't worry, stress, anguish and generally make myself ill and crazy with anxiety, that my plans will fail and bad things will happen. Well, that's just bullshit Turtle, and now is a great time to get over that.

Friday evening Mr. Turtle and I went to my staff party (replacing staff Christmas party.) The organizers did an excellent job. We had a room in the most beautiful hotel in the city, and a delicious  dinner. My co-teacher and two of my other close colleagues where there, and they are definitely people I  can enjoy spending time with outside of work. There were about 50 people there. We are a staff of about 200 but to get everybody together is like herding cats. I also think teachers are peculiarly resistant to being corralled and organized, since we spend so much of our time doing that for other people When it comes time for us to organize and follow instructions, we grumble and snark or just outright refuse to consider it. I'm that way sometimes too, but I'm glad that Mr. Turtle and I came to this evening because it was great.

And....

I won grand door prize!

Now, really, I never win anything. I'm so bad at any game (except Scrabble and Bananagram) that it's laughable.  I don't "get" team sports and never have. I never gamble or enter the lottery because I know I wouldn't win (neither do most people, of course). And door prizes always go to somebody else.

Grand prize was:
-$100 gift certificate to spa at Fairmount hotels
-entry for 2 to Sunday brunch at the hotel
-entry for 2 to "Death By Chocolate" - which is pretty much what it sounds like
-a bottle of wine
-a gift basket of goodies put together by the hotel chefs

Ironically, while they were telling the group what the grand prize was, I said to my table that it really wasn't fair to give all those prizes to one person - they should have split them up so more people would get them. Mr. Turtle said to me "You know now you're going to win, right?"

And, lo and behold, my name was called.

So I got up, feeling very surprised and a bit guilty. I still felt like I should give the presents back. But I didn't. Although I still feel a bit weird about accepting all that stuff. I'm not supposed to be the lucky person. The nice part was, the people who knew about the IVF cycle all told me that after the kind of week I'd had, they were thrilled that I won the big gifts. And I know they meant it.

But it is so weird, isn't it? I think I'll have to share some of the gifts because I can't quite get over it.

Anyway. Mr. Turtle and I will enjoy all of those gifts together in the next few chilly weeks, while we ponder our next steps. Except for the bottle of wine, which I will enjoy on my own or with other wine-inclined people, as Mr. Turtle doesn't drink.

Our appointment with Dr. Cotter on  Thursday went well. I will wait a few days to update, because we are still processing everything and I feel like I need a break from reading and writing constantly about IVF and infertility. Once again, thank you  everyone for reading. I would totally share my treats and wine with you if you could come to my house.

21 comments:

  1. Well that is a great door prize! Sometimes they are like free microwaves or junk! That sounds awesome! You should enjoy it! Glad you and mr had a good week taking care of each other. That is important!

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  2. Yes, it was a good week for taking care. The door prize is awesome, but I was a bit surprised and how awkward it feels - maybe this week, in particular - to "win" or be "lucky."

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  3. I'm glad you had some good moments, and even won a prize! Death by chocolate already sounds great. These sound like a good distraction for the upcoming break, something nice in between of what must be difficult topics.

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    1. yes, it's nice to have something to look forward to - either to attend with Mr. Turtle or to take a girlfriend to!

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  4. Enjoy those gifts!! The spa sounds like a wonderful thing!! And you cant go wrong with food, chocolate and wine!!

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    1. I will :-D It was an awesome gift collection and I will enjoy it!

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  5. Death by chocolate? Sign me up! I know how you feel, I never win anything either, so I was shocked to win a basket of fancy oils and vinegars at a fundraiser recently. I'm not giving any of mine away though. ;)

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    1. haha! Yes, the impulse to give back the gifts was at most a fleeting one...I plan to enjoy them all. I hope you enjoy cooking with your oils and vinegar. Death by Chocolate sounds amazing.

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  6. Yay, so glad you won that awesome door prize! Enjoy every bit of it, and don't let yourself feel a shred of guilt. Pick out a fabulous spa treatment for yourself and make a day of it :) I'm glad your coworkers have been supportive, and that your appointment with your doctor went well.

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    1. Yes, it will be fun to figure out how to use the gift certificate. Tough times definitely can definitely bring out the good in people, as well as the reverse, so I'm happy to have received so much support.

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  7. So sooo lucky of you! You totally deserve the pampering, and Death by Chocolate is making me drool. I chuckled at that image of 'herding cats'. As an ex-teacher, I can identify with that part about how teachers hate being organized. I always thought it's a personality thing, or maybe it's the subject you teach - my theory is that arts/language teachers are more resistant to being fenced in, haha. Enjoy your break!

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    1. Haha! it might be a personality thing, but I think it is also something about teachers in general. I agree that arts teachers are more resistant to being fenced in, too!

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  8. Wow I never win anything either! So great you won that. Do. Not. Share. Your. Prize. That's all I am going to say. :D

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    1. Haha! thank you for the advice. I've only shared some of the goodie basket with Mr. Turtle and my family. They deserve it. I will enjoy the rest to the fullest!

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  9. That's great--it pales in comparison to all the IF stuff, but sometimes a little random, nice surprise can take the edge off the whole feeling that the universe is out to get you. That, and you get a spa treatment. Heaven!

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    1. You are exactly right - it doesn't take away the pain, but it takes the edge off a little bit.

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  10. I don't have any words for this except that I hope you and Mr. Turtle have a lovely spa day together. You do deserve it, and so much more. xx

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    2. Thank you Adi. I am thinking of you too, always.

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  11. i know those contests are so random, but it sounds like it was a very timely win for you. hope you enjoy your goodies

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    1. So many things in life are random, aren't they? At least this time random was on our side. Thanks for the comment!

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