It's Thursday and I have had a busy week in work plus, all week I've been trying to fend off some kind of lurgy, the kind that has you sweaty but chilly at the same time and overly tired, so I've attempted to keep my days as short as possible and go to bed ridiculously early, as in... around 6pm. The worrying thing is, I have actually slept.
Thursday in work was a training day. Training day's, despite how animated the trainers are, can be pretty dry days. So much information to absorb, so few brain cells. The day ended with us being shown the interview rooms in which we are to work from. As usual, there are two panic buttons. One is silent, one sounded. No one knows which is which, but if you think you need to press any, then press both as chances are, one or the other won't work anyway.
Having worked previously, as you know, were you may wish to discreetly press the panic alarm, this revelation, did not calm my nerves. Work sucks.
Speaking of work. I have an interview on Wednesday... the one near home. I don't need to tell you that getting that job would turn my life around. The extra sleep alone, would turn my life around. I wasn't nervous when I read I had an interview. Then I realised the letter was dated on my birthday, do we believe in fate? As the interview day grows nearer, I am becoming more nervous. Especially after Thursday, so much depends on my performance at the interview. Still, I know that a lot depends on the day, how you click with the panel, how your fellow interviewees perform. You may as well flip a coin. What will be, will be.
Life has a habit of not finding the easiest road for me. This would be such an easy road, with regards to time alone. Usually, I would be thinking, "not a chance in hell," but I'm actually wondering, have I payed my dues? Am I due a break, for a change?
You know what? If I get the job, it would transform my life. If I don't, and I start my interviewing role, after I get over the safety issues, I know I'd be good at it. I am skilled, (if I say so myself,) at spotting, what I would be interviewing for. So, it's a win, win, right?
I sleep pretty well Thursday night, and Friday, is my day off. I wake a few times in the night but manage to toss and turn and drift back to nod. I finally wake at 5.50am, I feel like I've had a great amount of sleep, makes so much difference.
I laze for 20 minutes then I'm up. Breakfast and several coffee's, then jog, quite briskly for 20 minutes. It's not easy but my back has been bad during the week and I know that I need a good brisk jog and stretch afterwards.
J and I had planned to visit the latest M&S Mega store today, the most Eco friendly store the world has seen so far. J has not been feeling good of late and if I could be put in a room with Lupus, I would shout and scream and punch the living daylights out of it.
Anyway, I pick her up and we head out for breakfast, which was lovely, (I had scrambled, J had poached eggs on toast,) then we head to the store.
Store is fabulous, I love the curved and environmentally friendly ceiling. The one thing it's lacking, is signage. No signage in the car park, I noticed we'd parked opposite the David Lloyd Fitness sign so that we could make our way back there. Once you're inside the store, you need a floor plan. But it's lovely and the staff are all smiles and obviously proud, and so they should be. J and I had a coffee and an Eccles Cake before we left, just a brief respite before we head to the food hall. We just miss one of the head chefs creating something with duck and raspberries! Sounds delicious and I'm sure it tasted the same.
I've decided I should also write a "b" side to my posts, where applicable to do so. Sometimes there is another side to the story or, more of the story to tell, but at this time, I have no one to tell, or cannot tell, maybe one day, for now, they may have to remain unpublished.
I drop J off at home and head out to buy new hair straighteners, I know, as if life wasn't bad enough, my hair straighteners died on Wednesday, thankfully, God made it so that I was only three days away from pay day, overtime pay and still having a little birthday money to play with, and he let me get to work with minutes to spare before the heavens deluged their rain sodden clouds. Everything worked out perfectly... and £10 cheaper than I anticipated.
My darling nephew CJ texts me on Friday afternoon, what am I up to on Saturday? Yes, I am working. I'm going to fast forward the conversation to the point where I have declined an invitation to accompany him to a singles party as he'd feel more protective over me and we'd never get anywhere, and to where I am now clothes shopping with him on Saturday after work, ready for his singles night. Ah yes, the joys and perils of being a loving Aunt. Would not swap it for the world.
Friday, 31 August 2012
Monday, 27 August 2012
It's Bank Holiday... You're Poorly
So, it has been another weekend, not that I really noticed. I got the good/bad news that overtime was on this weekend afterall, so my break turned into 4 days rather than 7. Work itself wasn't too bad, Saturday or Sunday, other than the fact that I have develped a really annoying habbit of waking anytime between midnight and 1am, and being unable to drift back to nod. Dang it.
Thankfully, and on the bright side, it is Bank Holiday Monday so on a day when I would ordinarily have been in work, I am in fact, off.
I slept late, after recieving your text yesterday, I'm not going to phone. You sound so poorly with the chest infection, I'd rather you rested and or slept and we can catch up when you are well. Desperatly wish I was nearer to take care of you. I do know that you're being well taken care of but I would feel better if I could be nearer, even if it was to sit while you slept. I know... that sounds slightly creepy, but you know what I mean. I'd be there if you woke and needed anything... nevermind.
So today is Monday. It is Bank Holiday. The rest of the world seems to be hibernating. The weather is miserable, the roads are deserted as are the supermarkets. I try to have coffee, no point in writing, there is an Irish coningeant of young lads in Starbucks, less than 10 minutes after I arrive. They may be a rugby team, I don't know. Anyway, they are young, have accents to die for and are exuberant and loud, and while I could listen to them all day, it's not conjucive to either read or write, and so I hurry my coffee and leave after just 30 minutes. I hope they had a great time though.
I had a little look around some shops then headed straight for fuel and home.
I have done a little of everthing that needed doing, washing, ironing, tidying, hoovering, I'm exhausted, could have stayed in bed the whole day but I've only dilly dallyed for 5 weeks while I have been doing overtime, so, needs must.
Thankfully, and on the bright side, it is Bank Holiday Monday so on a day when I would ordinarily have been in work, I am in fact, off.
I slept late, after recieving your text yesterday, I'm not going to phone. You sound so poorly with the chest infection, I'd rather you rested and or slept and we can catch up when you are well. Desperatly wish I was nearer to take care of you. I do know that you're being well taken care of but I would feel better if I could be nearer, even if it was to sit while you slept. I know... that sounds slightly creepy, but you know what I mean. I'd be there if you woke and needed anything... nevermind.
So today is Monday. It is Bank Holiday. The rest of the world seems to be hibernating. The weather is miserable, the roads are deserted as are the supermarkets. I try to have coffee, no point in writing, there is an Irish coningeant of young lads in Starbucks, less than 10 minutes after I arrive. They may be a rugby team, I don't know. Anyway, they are young, have accents to die for and are exuberant and loud, and while I could listen to them all day, it's not conjucive to either read or write, and so I hurry my coffee and leave after just 30 minutes. I hope they had a great time though.
I had a little look around some shops then headed straight for fuel and home.
I have done a little of everthing that needed doing, washing, ironing, tidying, hoovering, I'm exhausted, could have stayed in bed the whole day but I've only dilly dallyed for 5 weeks while I have been doing overtime, so, needs must.
My Prize.. Finally
So it's Thursday and that means that it's Llangollen for lunch at the Cotton Mill with B and then on to Llandudno and I cannot help but think of you.
B parks up and we walk the pier, as is tradition. I love that you can walk the length of the pier and hear so many accents and dialects. It begins to rain even before we set foot on the wooden planks so when we finally reach the end, we go into the bar to have our traditional drink, inside the bar.
After the drink, we head off in the direction that Freddie, my cousin, told us to head for in the hope of finding the holy grail of fish and chip shops. We wander and look and rationalise and deduce, but we cannot find. We reach the end of the road and head back, downhill, in the opposite direction and towards the fish and chip shop that we usually frequent, we both feel like we have walked miles.
We are only in Llandudmo for 2 - 3 hours but it's traditional and it's fresh and it's just lovely.
B and I head out for home around 6.30 with Ronan Keating singing to us via a really old CD, another tradition. I'm home well before 8pm and I'm shattered. Must be the walking and the sea air that takes it out of you.
I plead with B to let me do some housework and gardening on Friday and technically, "have the day off," and then lounge around for the afternoon, my current idea of bliss.
When I returned home at night, there was a post office card to say," tried to deliver but parcel too big to leave, please call into the sorting office." Or words to that effect. Decided to head there after the morning rush. I park up, (on double yellows and hope and pray...) head into the sorting office and present my card. The post man takes my card, walks away and says; "How are you? Still at the bank?" I duck under the window where the light isn't reflecting so that I can see, and look at the postie, he's a customer of old and explain that I haven't been there for 6 years.
We chat, I bring him up to date, it's nice, I have no idea who the parcel is from. Turns out... parcel is my prize from Grazia Magazine... finally, from months ago. My parcel is chock full of John Masters Organics goodies. My parcel consists of; Calendula hydrating & toning mask, rose & apricot antioxident day creme, blood orange & vanilla body wash, (it's okay, if I concentrate, I can block out the hint of vanilla,) blood orange and vanilla body milk, (yep. this one, I will have to give away.) Rose foaming face wash, sea salt spray with lavender (for hair, to give you that, "beachy feel,") lavender rosemary shampoo. Aren't I lucky? They all smell divine... apart from the vanilla. I haven't tried everything yet but I love the shampoo and foaming cleanser so far.
B parks up and we walk the pier, as is tradition. I love that you can walk the length of the pier and hear so many accents and dialects. It begins to rain even before we set foot on the wooden planks so when we finally reach the end, we go into the bar to have our traditional drink, inside the bar.
After the drink, we head off in the direction that Freddie, my cousin, told us to head for in the hope of finding the holy grail of fish and chip shops. We wander and look and rationalise and deduce, but we cannot find. We reach the end of the road and head back, downhill, in the opposite direction and towards the fish and chip shop that we usually frequent, we both feel like we have walked miles.
We are only in Llandudmo for 2 - 3 hours but it's traditional and it's fresh and it's just lovely.
B and I head out for home around 6.30 with Ronan Keating singing to us via a really old CD, another tradition. I'm home well before 8pm and I'm shattered. Must be the walking and the sea air that takes it out of you.
I plead with B to let me do some housework and gardening on Friday and technically, "have the day off," and then lounge around for the afternoon, my current idea of bliss.
When I returned home at night, there was a post office card to say," tried to deliver but parcel too big to leave, please call into the sorting office." Or words to that effect. Decided to head there after the morning rush. I park up, (on double yellows and hope and pray...) head into the sorting office and present my card. The post man takes my card, walks away and says; "How are you? Still at the bank?" I duck under the window where the light isn't reflecting so that I can see, and look at the postie, he's a customer of old and explain that I haven't been there for 6 years.
We chat, I bring him up to date, it's nice, I have no idea who the parcel is from. Turns out... parcel is my prize from Grazia Magazine... finally, from months ago. My parcel is chock full of John Masters Organics goodies. My parcel consists of; Calendula hydrating & toning mask, rose & apricot antioxident day creme, blood orange & vanilla body wash, (it's okay, if I concentrate, I can block out the hint of vanilla,) blood orange and vanilla body milk, (yep. this one, I will have to give away.) Rose foaming face wash, sea salt spray with lavender (for hair, to give you that, "beachy feel,") lavender rosemary shampoo. Aren't I lucky? They all smell divine... apart from the vanilla. I haven't tried everything yet but I love the shampoo and foaming cleanser so far.
Saturday, 25 August 2012
Family Photo
It's Wednesday 22nd. I got up and jogged for 20 minutes, felt great. B and I head off for Blackpool around 10.30am, roads are clear, it's not sunny, but at least it is dry, so far.
We arrive in a wet and windy Blackpool, but it looks amazing. For the last 2 or 3 years, parts of the front have been fenced off while they renovate and rejuvenate, they have done an amazing job and it looks really good. My favourite part, is the "comedy carpet." 850 comedians and writers are represented in the form of sketches, jokes and one liners. These roads may not be paved with gold, but they are paved with laughter. http://www.visitblackpool.com/attractions/comedy-carpet-blackpool-p651130 B and I did not read all of it as it was raining, but I dare you to not to stand, point and laugh out loud at the content. An absolute joy.
B and I wandered around looking for somewhere to eat, eventually settled on Frankie and Benny's, I'm sorry to say that our beloved Harry Ramsden's did not seem inviting at all after queueing in front of the window for 10 minutes. Seems to really have gone down hill, such a shame.
With the aid of sexy Sean, the Irish Sat Nav King, we arrive at my cousin's L&F. I haven't seen them since Christmas and feel oh so guilty, but still, it's lovely to see them and just be in their company. I always feel so relaxed with them and in their home, it's not every house that is a welcoming home.
We have a lovely catch up and my second cousin PQ and his lovely, already part of the family partner Kate, arrive and we all catch up together. It was lovely.
My cousin L is much more into researching the family history than I am. She showed me a photograph from the archives, (I have no idea how I have escaped this photograph so far.) I have never clapped eyes on it before now. It's a photo of my Nanna and Grandad, with Auntie Phoebe, (Auntie Phe, she only died about 10 years ago and so I remember her vividly,) Auntie Marie, my namesake and Lyn's Mum who died a few months before I was born, and Auntie Ella, (Eleanor who I do have fuzzy and warm memories of.) The photograph looks so... Victorian. Nanna and Grandad look so young, they, if our calculations are correct, are about 26 years old. L and I laughed our socks off, all of the children, with perhaps the exception of Lyn's Mum, Auntie Marie, (pronounced Marry, okay, there is a tale, she is Christened Mary Alice but around the age of 14, JB Roberts, master butcher and boss of my Grandad declared that my auntie looked French and that Mary Alice did not suit, from that day forth, she would be known as Marie, ((Marry.)) Anyway, Lyn and I agree that the kids look like they are a sandwich short of a picnic, still, they are family and I love them, regardless.
Day's later, I am still in awe of that photograph. It is so hard to comprehend that I am only 2 generations away from that photograph. My Mum, Dorothy, is a mere twinkling of an eye, -12 years we think. It's still a huge leap.
Anyway, back to the visit and we have a lovely time. I haven't seen them since Christmas, which I do feel bad about. L and B have a whale of a time reminiscing about being teenagers together, they are around 18 months apart and they grew up together.
We're late leaving and I can hardly keep my eyes open on the drive home. Cannot stop thinking about that photograph!
Friday, 24 August 2012
Day 1
So, today is my first day off in 24 days and it happens to be my birthday. I think I'm actually more excited over the day off. You'll roughly remember how old I am? Well, if you double that figure and add 10, that was how old I felt last night, still, after a sleeping tablet and 2 glasses of red wine... and 11.5 hours sleep later, I feel quite refreshed and much nearer my actual age.
I woke to 2 texts, one from my sister V and the other from J. Had a busy couple of hours in which I squeezed in replies to texts, a phone call, breakfast and 10 minutes of jogging. It's been at least 3 weeks since I jogged and it felt great.
So far, I have a bag, purse, scarf, several bottles of wine, (hmm,) chocolates and 2 "mind, body, spirit," magazines from my friend Debs.
Just after 9am, I head out to my much missed Starbucks, I sit relaxing, reading and writing to you for an hour. It's chilled and quiet, with a soft buzz of noise in the background, it's just so lovely to be here. I eventually pop in my iPod and CBR, and it's like I've never been away, perfect start to the day.
I recycle, buy fuel and head to my eldest sister's for a coffee and a catch up. I finally get home and do a bit of tidying then 30 minutes later, B arrives and we head off to have a panini for lunch, well, we split one and have half each, B's is rounded off with coffee and walnut cake.
We head home, to mine, and I then tidy and clean for a couple of hours while B reads and chats to me, then at 5.30pm, we head out to Wagamama's. J & G are taking me to dinner for my birthday and nephew CJ is here too. B has never been before, and I know she wouldn't have chosen to go but we give her detailed descriptions of meals and she opts for Yaki Soba, the same as me and J, we have variations of gyoza and edamame to start. CJ opts for "firecracker" for his main dish, we both agree that the next time he goes on a date, he should veto the hot stuff as the sweating situation is not attractive. G has Prawn Chilli Men and he is another trooper as I know he was probably a bit unsure at the beginning. Meal and Pinot Grigio Blush are divine, J and I share a carafe of PGB. Everyone has desert, except me.
We had a lovely night. J, G and CJ drop me home. CJ picks me up and swings me like a rag doll, well, I suppose it's kind of nice that he can do that? I watch TV for an hour then crash into bed, another day, another birthday over, good though.
I woke to 2 texts, one from my sister V and the other from J. Had a busy couple of hours in which I squeezed in replies to texts, a phone call, breakfast and 10 minutes of jogging. It's been at least 3 weeks since I jogged and it felt great.
So far, I have a bag, purse, scarf, several bottles of wine, (hmm,) chocolates and 2 "mind, body, spirit," magazines from my friend Debs.
Just after 9am, I head out to my much missed Starbucks, I sit relaxing, reading and writing to you for an hour. It's chilled and quiet, with a soft buzz of noise in the background, it's just so lovely to be here. I eventually pop in my iPod and CBR, and it's like I've never been away, perfect start to the day.
I recycle, buy fuel and head to my eldest sister's for a coffee and a catch up. I finally get home and do a bit of tidying then 30 minutes later, B arrives and we head off to have a panini for lunch, well, we split one and have half each, B's is rounded off with coffee and walnut cake.
We head home, to mine, and I then tidy and clean for a couple of hours while B reads and chats to me, then at 5.30pm, we head out to Wagamama's. J & G are taking me to dinner for my birthday and nephew CJ is here too. B has never been before, and I know she wouldn't have chosen to go but we give her detailed descriptions of meals and she opts for Yaki Soba, the same as me and J, we have variations of gyoza and edamame to start. CJ opts for "firecracker" for his main dish, we both agree that the next time he goes on a date, he should veto the hot stuff as the sweating situation is not attractive. G has Prawn Chilli Men and he is another trooper as I know he was probably a bit unsure at the beginning. Meal and Pinot Grigio Blush are divine, J and I share a carafe of PGB. Everyone has desert, except me.
We had a lovely night. J, G and CJ drop me home. CJ picks me up and swings me like a rag doll, well, I suppose it's kind of nice that he can do that? I watch TV for an hour then crash into bed, another day, another birthday over, good though.
Monday, 20 August 2012
Day 23, Stop the Clock
So, it's day 23 in work. I woke around 1.30am and manged to get back off to sleep, think I was keen to start the day, the sooner you begin, the sooner it ends.
Got up at 4am, stripped bed, put a wash load on, hung that up and left for work. Today was jam packed but there was nothing that I could rush, so it all just sailed along of it's own accord and actually passed quite quickly.
I left work, laden down with bags and heavy things and a big, cumbersome umbrella. It was lashing down this morning and I needed that umbrella, now, the sun is brilliant and hot and I'm sweltering as I carry everything back to the car and juggle the giant umbrella.
I go to the supermarket on the way home and before I've shut the front door, the phone is ringing. Wearily, I pick up the phone, it's my nephew CJ asking what he has done so that I need to ignore him at said supermarket. He is of course kidding, I think I actually ignored him while I was driving through the supermarket car park, (which is not the same thing...) I reminded him that I'm blind and that I can't get used to the car he is currently driving, it's just not him. He then proceeded to ask me a shopping question.
So I thankfully, now have at least four days off work to look forward too. I can hardly believe it. I just hope that I break my sleep pattern immediately and begin to sleep like a normal person, I think a good nights sleep would work wonders.
Four days off... absolute bliss.
Got up at 4am, stripped bed, put a wash load on, hung that up and left for work. Today was jam packed but there was nothing that I could rush, so it all just sailed along of it's own accord and actually passed quite quickly.
I left work, laden down with bags and heavy things and a big, cumbersome umbrella. It was lashing down this morning and I needed that umbrella, now, the sun is brilliant and hot and I'm sweltering as I carry everything back to the car and juggle the giant umbrella.
I go to the supermarket on the way home and before I've shut the front door, the phone is ringing. Wearily, I pick up the phone, it's my nephew CJ asking what he has done so that I need to ignore him at said supermarket. He is of course kidding, I think I actually ignored him while I was driving through the supermarket car park, (which is not the same thing...) I reminded him that I'm blind and that I can't get used to the car he is currently driving, it's just not him. He then proceeded to ask me a shopping question.
So I thankfully, now have at least four days off work to look forward too. I can hardly believe it. I just hope that I break my sleep pattern immediately and begin to sleep like a normal person, I think a good nights sleep would work wonders.
Four days off... absolute bliss.
Sunday, 19 August 2012
Tomorrow is Day 23
You may recall that my back garden is a bit of a sprawling mess. A Lilliputian would be lost forever out there. I like to pretend that it is a "wild" garden. Truth is... it's Wild.
I have a 4ft square clump of giant daisy's, (I don't know their real names.) Picture an actual daisy, make the flower about 3 inches in diameter and stick it atop a three foot, rambling, reaching for the sunshine stalk. I went out last weekend to hang out washing, only to be met by these sprawling white headed, pretty things. They reached out waywardly, looking for a spot to bask in. For some reason, they reminded me of very cute, slightly naughty 3 year olds. They are not quite behaving, but they don't know what they're doing wrong. They are beautiful and so full of joy, you cannot help but love and admire them and wouldn't dream of telling them off.
I woke for work on Sunday at 4.10, even though I had three alarms set for 5am. I got up and out, no problem. The work itself was fine but again, it was like a sauna. I was sweating within 2 minutes of arriving in the building and as the hours progressed, so our energy was sapped.
I drove home with he window wound down, cool... cold air blowing on me, then I began to sneeze. I probably have some kind of heat then cold induced pneumonia just in time for me to be off.
Tomorrow is day 23 in work. It will be a packed day but I don't care. It's only a day. The least it will last will be 7.5 hours, I can't see it lasting more than 11 hours, then the drive home, by which point, I won't care because I have at least 4 days stretching out ahead of me, pure and absolute bliss, I can't wait. Bring on tomorrow and let's get it out of the way.
I have a 4ft square clump of giant daisy's, (I don't know their real names.) Picture an actual daisy, make the flower about 3 inches in diameter and stick it atop a three foot, rambling, reaching for the sunshine stalk. I went out last weekend to hang out washing, only to be met by these sprawling white headed, pretty things. They reached out waywardly, looking for a spot to bask in. For some reason, they reminded me of very cute, slightly naughty 3 year olds. They are not quite behaving, but they don't know what they're doing wrong. They are beautiful and so full of joy, you cannot help but love and admire them and wouldn't dream of telling them off.
I woke for work on Sunday at 4.10, even though I had three alarms set for 5am. I got up and out, no problem. The work itself was fine but again, it was like a sauna. I was sweating within 2 minutes of arriving in the building and as the hours progressed, so our energy was sapped.
I drove home with he window wound down, cool... cold air blowing on me, then I began to sneeze. I probably have some kind of heat then cold induced pneumonia just in time for me to be off.
Tomorrow is day 23 in work. It will be a packed day but I don't care. It's only a day. The least it will last will be 7.5 hours, I can't see it lasting more than 11 hours, then the drive home, by which point, I won't care because I have at least 4 days stretching out ahead of me, pure and absolute bliss, I can't wait. Bring on tomorrow and let's get it out of the way.
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