Stressing out.

Apparently there is now something amiss if you are not stressed out.

Unless you spend your "free time" - ie not in your place of work. Running around, driving hundreds of miles, hardly having time to breathe , then you are very dull.

When I had a long weekend recently a work colleague asked whether I'd had a good time. "yes, brilliant" I replied. "oh?" said she "did you go away?", "no" says me. " on Saturday I cleaned and washed and tidied, in the afternoon I did some garden tidy up". - frown number one appeared on her face.
"Saturday night I cooked us a roast chicken with all the trimmings, and made an apple tart". I say with proud smile "oh what a shame you couldnt go out to eat" says she.
"on Sunday we went for a long walk, and in the afternoon I read my book and then watched a weepy film on TV"
"on the Monday, I sorted out some old photos and scanned them onto the computer, made some scones and had a very long bath"
"so you didnt do anything, there's a pity" said she. and proceeded to tell me how "terribly busy" she'd been, with "no time" (see other blog post) to anything like housework, cooking, relaxing or gardening.

No time

I've recently discovered a new phenomena - called "no time"


Both in my personal life and in work I constant find that people are saying they have "no time".
 What's worse is that I now feel guilty that I "had time".

Typical conversation.
me: I got 4 new books from the library on Saturday and spend Sunday afternoon reading.
work colleague: Oh I don't "have time" to read, let alone sit down on a Sunday Or go to the library.
in one fell swoop I feel guilty for all 3.
Me: I've spend my afternoon off doing some family history (thus not admitting to sitting down doing nothing which is what people say I'm doing when I'm reading)
Other colleague: Oh I don't have time on my day off to do things I want.

So what am I to do. So far this year I've told someone what I've done or what I plan to do and I've had
"I don't have time to go walking"
"I don't have time to watch films"
" I don't have time to decorate spare bedrooms"
"I don't have time to cook"

Yes YES I get the picture. I am obviously the only person with time. Or do I just make time for these things. No I don't have children (yes I heard you all say "oh well then..." and I am resisting the urge to say "I don't have time for children").

But regardless of whether I have children or not. Why should I be made to feel bad for doing things that I have time to do.