Today started badly. But rewind to last night...

C's furniture finally arrived yesterday. Only 4 weeks after he moved into his apartment ;-) But it's not the movers' fault... he only booked them a couple of days before he moved, and pretty much every mover going said they needed a couple of weeks to get furniture 400 miles from one end of the country to another. Those that could do it in a few days were charging a small fortune, and he wanted to do it on the cheap.

So last night I went round to his place after work and helped him unpack a few boxes. He has so much crap. Loads and loads of junk left over from 10 years of marriage and a 3-bedroomed house. He said that sometimes he wishes it had been him that moved out, and not his XW, because then he wouldn't have been left with all the flotsam. I mean, he has two picnic sets. What single guy needs a picnic set at all, let alone two!

I told him he needs to have a garage sale. Soon. Unfortunately, garages are rare and hard to come by in London.

After about an hour of unpacking, C felt tired and hungry so we went back to mine for some food, and then an early night. We didn't shag, but instead sat talking in the dark about fantasies. That's one of the things that feels so very very right about being with him - I can talk to him about anything. I could never do that with my ex, for fear of being judged.

Anyhow. At about 5am this morning, I woke up with horrendous period pain. Not entirely unexpected: I knew it was due round about now. So I got up and went to take some painkillers.

No painkillers. Not in my nightstand, not in the bathroom, not in the kitchen. Not in my handbag, not in C's bag. I had even used up the last of my post-snip codeine stash.

Shit.

So I went back to bed, and failed to sleep. My alarm went off at 7.15am, I told C how I was feeling (like crap) and he gallantly got up, fixed me a hot water bottle, and went to the corner shop for Neurofen. What a sweetie!

So I stayed in bed until 9am, then finally got up and came to work, feeling slightly less shit (but still pretty shit). The evil shoulder pain is threatening to re-assert itself, and I have a weird feeling like a stitch in my side that won't go away, but three Neurofens and several cups of coffee are helping me feel more-or-less human.

When I got to work and staggered over to my desk, one of the line managers (not mine) came over and gave me a chocolate bar, telling me I "look like I need it". Thanks for the chocolate, but you can forget the 'compliment' ;-) In fact, several people have told me a I look terrible, but that's probably down to my glasses, lack of makeup and snuggly-wuggly jumper that having my period requires me to wear.

And hey, being seen to heroically struggle into work despite looking (and feeling) like death warmed over might put me in good stead for a Christmas bonus. Right?

I always seem to get my period, or get ill, when I have too much work on to be able to take a sick day. I can't actually remember the last time I took a whole sick day, but I can remember coming into work feeling like shit several times over the last year. Thing is, I don't like taking time off when I have my period. It somehow seems like a "cop-out". But then, the guys here take sick days for anything, including hangovers, so I suppose I could get away with it. If not in my conscience.

Well, that's my work bitch for today.

I have had several emailed and guestbooked porno recommendations (ta muchly). I'm coming to the conclusion that a DVD player might be useful. It was pretty far down my list of Desirable Things for the Future (after the washing machine, power shower and PS2, I think, but before a set of half-decent towels and a coffee maker), so I may have to upgrade it's position slightly. Come the new year, I'll (hopefully) be able to start saving again, now that I'm not spending money on visiting C in Edinburgh and phoning him every day. Although, I was sort of planning on saving for a sunny holiday and to fix up my dilapidated, local-authority issue, bathroom.

Damn consumer culture. I only bought a video recorder less than 18 months ago! Stop inventing things, boffins, and let me catch up!!&*�$!

Hmm, actually... I've already told the parental units what I'd like for Christmas (wine glasses - I'm discovering that when you're not single, one wine glass is insufficient - and a scratching post activity centre thingy for #1 Cat), but it's my birthday in January so maybe I'll ask for a DVD player. A cheap one (I always feel bad asking for presents that cost more than fifty quid).

OK, I now have to get back to concentrating on looking ill but heroically struggling on with work despite the odds. Wish me luck.