End of summer (huh?) here

Dear World!

The leaves aren't falling yet, but it's been cool and rainy for so long that I forget that summer only came in April and May.

What a strange summer. June into early July was exams, and they're going on now, too. I'd scarcely finished school when I realized that I had to get a job and very soon. That happened far faster than I ever imagined, and I've been working full-time at the Amsterdam office of a mammoth London law firm since early July. For a month, I worked in banking. A week ago, I started working in corporate, which potentially is a lot more interesting, but new faces to learn and a new location (different floor!). It felt like a new job.

So, no summer holidays, bottom-line, except for 12 days in the UK, which was great. I spent several hours in the National Gallery, right in Trafalgar Square, staring at Rembrandts (mostly) and other great Dutch art. What a wonder the National Gallery is! If their collections of other schools of art remotely compare . . . . The Dutch collection is amazing. Over 25 Rembrandts, alone!

Full-time work has been a shock to my system, in all regards: physically and mentally. Leaving the house by 8am? Agony. Not arriving home until at least 6:30pm? Exhausting. I'd so enjoyed my student schedule. Telecommuting is more my style, but isn't possible in a law firm. We shall see. It **is** lovely to see money on the credit side of my bank statement.

What else? Daily, there are many things. This afternoon, after hacking with a seriously bad, dry chest cough for 4-5 days, I went to a holistic clinic, where they prescribed 10mg of codeine (!), which is supposed to calm things down, generally. The cough derailed me, so I hope it's soon gone. It's a virus, so no antibiotics. The doctor I saw was so sweet and gentle, and kept remarking on my Dutch, which felt lovely. When one feels lousy, having a gentle doctor really helps.

The medical system here requires being "registered" with a "house doctor", who then refers one to other doctors. Being generally so healthy, I'd never got round to getting a house doctor, so this afternoon accomplished this.

I'd arranged to have tomorrow off, to do an exam, but I think I'll postpone it until December. I can barely stand up, much less succeed at an exam. Annoying, but it is what it is.

It's 8pm, but I'm off to bed. Even sleeping 14 hours/day doesn't help. (I'm a terrible patient.)

Good night, all!

Pamela