Journal Entries
More home chaos
Posted Jun 7, 2005
Into the home straight now, the new carpet comes on Thursday. They only rang today and asked if they could come on Thursday... so I've just had to start clearing stuff (emptying the big bookshelf AGAIN). Once more the house turns into an obstacle course, though with all my lovely new painted walls I'm being a lot more careful where things go. Luckily they're good fitters and are happy to move the heavy stuff for me (and take away the old carpet). I will be pleased to see the back of the old, hideous, red, stained, falling to pieces carpet. I've hated it since I first moved in but have held out replacing it until everything else was done.
Had to move everything tonight as I'm going out for dinner tomorrow night - with one of the better looking men of my acquaintance. However, before anyone gets ideas, I have to add he's married to one of my closest friends (one of the ones I went to Center Parcs with). He's in Leeds on business, and while here wants to go to a restaurant (part of a chain) owned by a friend of his (we're going to be mystery shoppers for his friend...). Should be fun.
Work continues to be exhausting though I'm getting to grips with more of it. Still not sleeping properly, even when I've been running and had a glass of wine (and if that doesn't knock me out I'm not sure what will). Oh well, sooner or later sleep will come back....
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Latest reply: Jun 7, 2005
Green and pleasant land
Posted May 28, 2005
Met some friends in Wetherby for tea (compulsory fish and chips for their visit home to Yorkshire). I drove home by the back route through Sicklinghall and Kirby Overblow (good Yorkshire name there!) across to Harewood. The sun was shining and I could see for miles across the valley. The may is out in the hedgerows and there's huge amounts of cow parsley in flower on the verges - looking very pretty waving about in the wind.
I love these views at this time of year, when everything is so green, and the lambs are in the fields. Whenever I've been away (abroad) it's that green that means I'm at home again.
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Latest reply: May 28, 2005
Showing off
Posted May 26, 2005
Apologies in advance I just want to show off and I've no-one to tell... (where's my mother when I need her!)
I've spent all day at a "development centre" (another day to go tomorrow) where a number of victims (sorry managers) are being developed.
Anyway last exercise of the day for me was the people management one, and the situation was one where we had to conduct a meeting with a member of staff (played by an actor) about whom complaints had been received about how she had conducted herself with 2 other organisation's staff (and the dreaded word bullying had been mentioned). These are horrible meetings to conduct, whether real or not and I really didn't think it had gone well but have received some of the best feedback that I've ever had.
The main observer said he has done this scenario about 20 times now and had never seen it done so well, no-one had ever got the person to recognise some of the issues in her performance, or ever managed to find out the facts about what had happened in one area. Apparently about half of the interviewers never actually manage to tell the member of staff what they'd been accused of, let alone sort out what had really happened.
Their biggest concern with me was that I "didn't realise how effective" I'd been....
It's the second nice work related thing I've been told this week, which as I'm struggling in a new job, and am completely knackered, is just what I need to hear.
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Latest reply: May 26, 2005
Domestic weekend
Posted May 22, 2005
A very domestic weekend. Managed to get lots done on the garden yesterday so it now looks vaguely respectable. Just as well as I was able to sit out this afternoon when a friend came to inspect the new kitchen. Had to play hide and seek with her 3 year old daughter - who hasn't quite grasped the point of hide and seek and insists on telling you where she's hiding.
The decorators finally finished on Wednesday and it was so good to get the house back to myself. I had been very disappointed when I got home on Tuesday to find they hadn't finished, I really had had enough of other people in my home. Apart from the old fridge, freezer and washing machine still being sat in the dining room things are almost back in order. There's a lot to go to the tip though (can't currently get the car in the garage...).
The carpet fitter came and measured up on Thursday. I'm using a little local shop who seem to give a lot better service than the big national chains (for one thing they take up and away the old carpet). It'll be a few weeks before the new carpet comes but I can't be bothered to put back the bits and pieces put away for the decorators until after it comes.
Had 2 sets of friends visit today so I baked a lemon drizzle cake, as well as making rhubarb fool and a rhubarb and apple crisp (slightly over bought rhubarb this week!) and even managed more weeding.
My back has been complaining all day - combination of gardening and shifting stuff to the garage yesterday. Might try and remember to take a cushion to work to support it (our office chairs leave a lot to be desired).
Busy week ahead at work. Brought a pile of work home but as usual it's still sitting in the hall glaring at me. Oh well will have to have an early start tomorrow... Trying not to let the thought of the week ahead get to me, last week went better than I expected.
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Latest reply: May 22, 2005
New Kitchen
Posted May 15, 2005
The kitchen is complete!
The fitter finally left at 5.30 last night - leaving the house in total chaos. However after a hard day's (and night's..) effort the house is now vaguely clean again and the kitchen in some sort of order.
It's wonderful....
The three people (in addition to me) who have seen it so far, have all said, totally seperately, how big it looks - exactly what I said to the fitter on Saturday morning. It's a proper kitchen - first time I've had one and it feels very grown up somehow.
The decorators are due tomorrow to finish painting the kitchen (and install the new light fittings). Then the carpet people are coming on Thursday to measure up (carpet samples are currently scattered all around me) and then finally the house can return to some sort of steady state!
I need a very early night, as I slept very badly last night - in the end I got up at around 3.00 am to make a cup of tea and then cleaned cupboards and unpacked the new kettle and toaster. Thought I would sleep later but didn't really so have been exhausted all day. Of course at the moment I seem to be more awake, but if I don't get a decent night tonight I will not cope with the week. Hope this phase of not sleeping stops soon, I've more than had enough of it.
Partaking of a glass of wine at the moment on the grounds it might help knock me out....
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Latest reply: May 15, 2005
Hebe
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