h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I saw your name on the 'marriage' thread (liked your post btw) and I noticed that you have a quote from Blackadder after your name and I thought that must make you a top bird. So, I came and had a look at your personal space. I must say, Henry is an excellent name for a dog.

I used to have a dog called Alf but unfortunately he got squished by a car about 12 years ago. I like dogs but I don't think I could cope with the mess now. I have enough to do cleaning up after my boyfriend.

I smiled at your dilema about saving up for a car or a house. A car is a darn sight more achieveable these days. I bought my place 5 years ago just before the market went mad. My brother lives in the Birmingham area (so not a million miles away from you) and he would like to buy a house but I think he despairs of ever getting to that point financially. Good luck with the saving up.

Liz
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Thanks - I am quite a Blackadder fan too . I picked that quote as it seems to apply to where I work at the moment....

Our had that name when we got him, and it just seemed to suit him! Sorry to hear your last dog got squished. Fortunately, Henry is astonishingly idle, so the chances of him getting close enough to the road for the possibility to exist are quite small! He's quite a handful, though.

I'm glad I don't live with my boyfriend, as he creates enough mess on his own, so you have my sympathies for living with him . Is it worth trying to house train him? I keep trying to train mine in readiness, but it hasn't worked yet...

I have no hope whatsoever of ever owning my own house in this area, so I can empathise with your brother. What will probably happen is whatever I save will go towards getting a house with the boyfriend whenever we get round to getting married.

I had a look at your space, whatever job you've got sounds good! I tend to use h2g2 from work as an antidote to all the stress going on around me (beginning to think my body is giving up on me because of stress!).

Lins

Ahh, yes, good old Blackadder. The only person I know who is more sarcastic than Blackadder is my brother, which is probably the result of being allowed to watch too much of Mr B when we were children I've been loyaly voting for Blackadder on the BBC Best Sitcom thing every week in the faint hope of preventing Only Fools and Horses from winning.

House training boyfriends, well, you might stand more chance than me because I seem to recall that you are only in your early to mid twenties and I would guess your bloke is a similar age. My bloke will be 40 in May and prior to moving in with me (which you may recall from the 'marriage' thread was not exactly planned) he had lived on his own for about 14 years (in a very small, untidy flat). I lived on my own for about 8 years so I think we were both a bit set in our ways. We had known each other a long time by the time Chris actually moved in but, although I knew he was untidy, I really wasn't prepared for just how much extra work was going to be involved for me in terms of cleaning This week he has, at last (it's only taken the best part of two years) started taking his shoes of on the door mat instead of tramping all through the house leaving a trail of muck behind him. (Sometimes, I really miss living alone)

Yes, my present job is a bit of a skive. It's a bit too much of a skive sometimes. I used to do a more responsible and, consequently, more stressful job (Credit Controller) but I hated it so much. I had a health scare in 2001 and that helped me to decide that life is really too short to spend 8 hours a day doing something that makes you unhappy. I can manage on an Administrators wage and since October 2002, that is what I have done. I have applied for some other jobs within the college so I might move on to something a bit busier eventually. I'm doing a big mail-shot at the moment so it is quite easy to surf the net at the same time as stuffing things in envelopes. My boss is away this week too, which makes things even more relaxed. She does wind me up a bit sometimes because she is SO disorganised, but other than that I don't have much stress in this job. The trouble is, when I do get busy (I had to organise a conference last year, eeek) then I find it difficult to cope because I get so little practice at working under pressure. Stress at work is never good, but I can deal with it as long as it's not constant. The beaurocracy in the public sector is quite something (that General Melchett quote that you are using would apply very nicely) but you can learn to ignore it most of the time.

My parents used to let me watch Blackadder, which I'm eternally grateful for; nothing's more useful when growing up than sarcasm practice!

Dave isn't quite that bad (he's just turned 26), he does tend to take his shoes off before tramping round the house! That said, he seems to have no concept of tidying away all his paperwork (letters, bills), throwing away old Christmas cards etc. One of his more annoying habits (though I can't explain why it annoys me) is he tends to eat an apple and then leave the core just lying on the table or, and this is the worst bit, inside an empty glass or mug!! Fortunately, he doesn't expect me to do his cleaning yet, which just means I have to resist doing it out of sheer frustration! Does Chris do his fair share of other chores, or does he expect you to do them all?

(PS: Certainly I think the longer you live alone, the more you develop odd habits!)

To use a phrase, I'm re-evaluating my career path. My current job, while it has fun moments, for the last 6 months has been nothing but pressure and more work. It doesn't help that the company is getting shot of people left right and centre to cut costs, meaning that each person is typically doing more than 1 person's work (at the last count, I reckoned I was up to 3, or at least 2.5). Complaining to management has no effect whatsoever (several of us have tried) .

I have to agree, it isn't worth spending 8 hours a day doing something that makes you unhappy . I'm currently looking at my finances to work out if I could survive on an administrator's wage too. It sounds like your job is pretty good (and something like what I need now!). Dave is very sensible when it comes to money so he's helping me out, too .

Could I ask what your health scare was? Am going through something similar at the moment!

Actually, I saw your conversation thread about lumps, but by the time I caught up with it you seemed to have resolved your fears so I decided not to chip in.

So let me bore you with my health story. I noticed that my nose was a bit out of shape late in 2000, but as I come from a long line of people with unattractive noses, I didn't think that much of it. However, the lump in my nose continued to grow and after months of regular nosebleeds I eventually went to the doctor. My GP referred me to the hospital where, in September 2001 they removed what they believed to be an unusually large nasal polyp. I was scared about having surgery on my face (I had to have my nose cut open) but as I'd had a completely benign lump removed from my shoulder in 1989, I wasn't that concerned about the lump itself. However, it turned out that it wasn't a (very common) nasal polyp but a cancerous tumour. Nasal Cavity Cancer, no less, usually found in smokers over the age of 60 and more common in men, so no wonder the doctors didn't expect to find it in a non-smoking 34-year-old woman. There was talk of my having further surgery. They wanted to removed my whole septum 'just in case'. I said no. I didn't wish to be mutilated just to be on the safe side. A month after the op I had healed up so well that my nose had almost closed itself off with scar tissue so I had another brief trip into hospital to cut away the scar tissue and my surgeon did a quick biopsy while he was there. The second biopsy was clear so I have had no further treatment, just regular check-ups. At one time I was attending the hospital bi-monthly but I now only have to attend the Head and Neck Clinic twice a year, so I can handle that but I don't get the all clear until October 2006.

And the moral of this story is: Always get lumps checked out.

So, yes, cancer rather makes you re-evaluate your life just a tad! Prior to that incident I had vowed never to let Chris come and live in my house (well, he wouldn't buy one together, so why should I share mine), however, he was such a diamond when I was ill (I had a really bad post-operative infection and he stayed with me for a week to look after me) that when the opportunity presented itself for him to move in, I took it. He doesn't do much in the way of chores (if I pile the sink up high enough he will wash the dishes) and he is mystified as to why I do any cleaning at all. He's quite happy to live in his own pit of filth. Unfortunately, I'm not. He does do some hoovering for his elderly father, but he thinks too much hoovering will turn him into Freddie Mercury in a pink skirt (humour is the ONLY reason this relationship survives). He would probably do more cooking if I let him, but his idea of a gormet meal is fish fingers and mashed potatos and I don't actually want to eat that all the time He doesn't even do that much DIY stuff (I could tell you a long and involved story about my recent DIY exploits but this post is quite long enough already).

When I was ill, my employers really weren't very nice to me. My immediate manager was very kind and supportive but I got a lot of hassle from people further up the chain of command about the amount of work that I didn't do because I was off sick! B******s! That's not the sort of thing I forgive very easily, I didn't even like the job and the journey there (two buses and quite a bit of walking) was taking me nearly an hour each way, so as soon as I was well enough, I found another job (my current journey to work is 15 minutes on foot - bliss). I've had some experience of working places where there aren't quite enough staff to cover the work, so I can sympathise with your situation. Do you work at one of those places where people who leave on time are frowned upon? I really hate that! I hope you can soon find something a little more relaxing.

Eek! At least the doctors realised what it was and got you treated pretty promptly. What happens when you get the all-clear, will you stop having to have check-ups then?

The symptoms I'm having are making me re-evaluate what I want from life. People are beginning to comment on my red patches of eczema and red spots/scabs - I've developed 3 on my neck in the last day or so, all of which itched like mad to start with. The swollen glands are shrinking a bit but are still noticeably there. I have to agree, it pays to be aware of your own body and any changes in it, and get them checked out.

I'm a bit worried, if semi-reassured, at the speed at which I've been referred to hospital. Although a friend of mine (trying to be helpful) did tell me my symptoms matched those of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which as I was still waiting for my blood test results at the time did nothing for my mood!

Sounds like Chris is quite sweet, really. The bit about cooking certainly reminds me of Dave - if he had the choice, he'd live on fish finger sarnies and sausages with sweet and sour sauce . Dave does do DIY, but slowly - most of the time, he's too tired from work to do anything much. it wouldn't be so bad if he didn't get big ideas about what he wanted to do. It took him 3 months to re-do his bedroom, which involved completely rebuilding his walk-in wardrobe, painting and putting laminate flooring down. He had a bathroom suite in his living room for over 6 months before he got round to fitting it in the New Year - though he did a good job of fitting it . Now he needs to completely re-tile his bathroom - it's been in need of it for about 6 weeks, and I can't see him doing it before Easter.... So it may be a good thing that Chris doesn't do DIY!

I can imagine here working out like your old workplace if I end up having to have any amount of time off. I had a right royal bum-kicking from my manager this morning for not having finished a load of work, which I had in fact told him I wasn't going to be able to finish because I'd got so much on. He was basically saying that he does extra work on top of his management stuff, and so-and-so amanged to do this plus all that, why couldn't I do it, it really wasn't good enough....

There's a huge expectation that we'll all work huge amounts of overtime in order to get things done. Instead, we have *negative* morale, people are going off ill and on stress all over the place, but no-one seems to be taking any action to improve things, or even listen to us.

Frankly, I can't be doing with it any more. Kind of galling when I've spent 8 1/2 years of my life getting where I am now! (2 years doing A levels, 4 years at uni, 2 1/2 years working here). I think I have to follow your example on this one!

It seems a shame to be jacking it all in when you have worked so hard to get the job you wanted. Is there not a similar sort of job you could do elsewhere, but for a better employer?

Employers who s**t on their staff the way yours seem to be doing are really s******g on themselves because people will leave and go off sick and their productivity will plummet. Is there a union where you work? Some way of taking your grievances to the management?

A problem I have hit upon in the past is that a lot of middle managers fail to notice that the majority of their staff are not as career minded as they are. Work is not my life, it's what I do to fund my life. I got made redundant from a job in 2000 where I worked for a lovely woman called Sharon who remains a good friend. However, Sharon is a career girl and to this day she cannot fathom why I have no ambition and am quite happy to just earn some money. One of the plus points with my current boss is she couldn't care less if I stay at the same grade for the rest of my life! There cannot be many bosses who, when told during your staff appraisal that you don't have any plans to advance your career reply "Fair enough then, as long as you're happy."

I've got an interview in another department next week. It is on exactly the same salary scale that I'm on now (and I'm already at the top) but it is working in the Higher Education part of the college, which appeals to me. I know the Registrar of the school that the job is in and I quite fancy working for her. At the moment, even if I wanted to climb the college career ladder, I am so isolated in the Research Centre where I currently work that I stand no chance of ever getting anything on a higher salary scale because I have no knowledge of the college systems. I've applied for jobs in other departments before and didn't get them, so I shall start to wonder what is wrong with me if I don't at least get offered this one.

Answering your earlier question, yes, my hospital check-ups will stop if I remain cancer free for five years. I hope to get the all clear in October 2006 and then when I turn 40 in May 2007 I plan to have the mother of all parties!

To be honest, the only reason I'm not too upset about losing the career I wanted from being 15 is because me and Dave plan to start having kids in 3 - 4 years' time . I did say that during my last appraisal with my old manager, but I think he thought I was joking!

The other reason I want to get out entirely is because in the automotive industry around here, all the companies are either owned by our parent company or do 90% of their business with them - so it wouldn't really be an improvement or get me far enough away. From chatting quietly to some of my colleagues, they all empathise entirely with my decision and would do it themselves if they didn't have families and mortgages to support.

There are unions here, but they're more for all the technicians and manual workers, not us engineers. And they are somewhat militant. I could join the union, but their interests don't really match mine anyway. I've had discussions with HR before about my work, and have had lots of promises about how things are going to change, but nothing ever does, no matter how much you chase it up. The words "brick" and "wall" come to mind .

<> Yup, seconded! I've never heard of anyone on their death bed who's said "oh, why didn't I spend more time at work?" The managers here don't get that either. I've seen lots of emails sent from managers at stupid times (like, 9pm at night, and at weekends).....

Good luck with your job interview - at least knowing someone in there is a bit of an advantage . Even if it doesn't lead upwards, it's a change. I've managed to spot a couple of jobs which potentially could be very good for me, so I'll be writing a CV for the first time in ages this weekend.

Sounds like it should be a very good party, 2 things to celebrate!

The only thing I'll miss about here will be the half day on Fridays... I finish in half an hour! Have a good weekend

Ooooh, a half day on a Friday! I'm jealous

I finish at quarter-to-five on a Friday, a whole half hour earlier than the rest of the week! Still, I only live 15 minutes walk from my house so I will be home by 5, which is nice.

Be a bit careful about mentioning your intention to have children at staff appraisals, interviews etc. There are still companies out there who discriminate against women of child bearing age. I don't think I've ever been asked about wanting a family by any employer or potential employer, but I know people who have. At my last job (yep, them again) we had three pregnancies in less than a year and the MD was thoroughly grumpy about it. When they interviewed for the job that eventually went to a nice lady in her 50's called Alma, her main competition was a woman of similar age to me (Olga, whom I actually knew). They asked Olga at interview whether she intended to start a family (which really they had no business asking, particularly when one of the interviewers was pregnant herself) and she said yes, so they gave the job to Alma. Completely wrong and totally discriminatory but it happend. On the plus side, plenty of places wouldn't readily employ a woman Alma's age so being too old to have kids worked in her favour. Our Manager left to have a baby and didn't return, so Alma is now the Accounts Manager. I left just after she got promoted, so she wasn't too pleased with me. I liked Alma.

Well, that's probably enough waffle from me for one week. I hope you have a good weekend. Do you and Dave go out much? (I like the sound of Dave, btw). Chris and I haven't had a night out for nearly two months and it's time I did something about that. If I wait for him to organise something, I will probably wait forever.

One of this place's good points is that its quite supportive of women who leave to have babies - allowing part-time working afterwards, a good stretch of paid maternity leave, etc. However, I don't plan on returning to work after having kids, so that bit could go against me!

It is wrong of them to ask if you're planning a family soon, though - and probably unethical, too.

Me and Dave don't go out that much, really; we're far happier with a video and a takeaway! Our last night out just for us was about 18 months ago, and the last time we actually had an evening out as a couple was in November for a friend's birthday do.

His parents sent him up some money for his birthday so we could have an evening out, but we haven't decided what to do yet. Besides, after a week at work, we're generally too tired to go out at night! I quite enjoy going out and socialising, but Dave is a bit quieter and generally isn't that keen on busy places or crowds. Neither of us are big drinkers, too.

This weekend was nice, though. There's a reservoir and country park near us, and we had a picnic lunch and a nice walk around the reservoir (all 5 miles of it!). The downside was I got a stinking migraine Saturday night, which I'm still recovering from now . But Dave has been looking after me lots, which has been really sweet of him .

Dave doesn't do planning things, either! If we decide to do something, it's usually on the day we do it. This usually means last minute trips to see friends or family, with about half-a-day's warning we're going to turn up. It can be annoying and fun in equal measures, to be honest.

How was your weekend, anyway? Did you manage to get Chris to go out?

I felt quite ludicrously tired at the weekend (and I'm not exactly bursting with vim and vigour now) so my only outing was to the supermarket on Saturday morning. Apart from that and a bit of housework and cooking, all I did was laze about on the sofa either reading or watching telly. Oh, and I did write a long letter to my best friend (who is very peed off with her job - there's a lot of it about).

Chris went out on his own several times, to the gym, to see his Dad, to play golf and to play indoor cricket. We have a takeaway every Friday night (no cooking on Fridays, it is the law) and usually he brings home a Kentucky after indoor cricket on Sunday night. I like to go for a nice meal in a restaurant from time to time but we haven't done that since New Year.

This morning I went for an interview for an Admin job in the school of Management, Arts and Sciences at the college where I work. I wasn't prepared for it to be quite so much of a grilling and I sat there wondering why I keep putting myself through these things. The other candidates were external so no decision can be made until their references and CRB checks are in, so it will be at least a week before I hear anything. I feel absolutely shattered now and I really want to go to bed. Chris is on nights this week and I did wake up when he came to be at 3:30 this morning and I was awake for an hour.

I think I might take my lunch break now and go and buy a birthday card for my Dad (not to mention a Mothers Day card). Perhaps the fresh air will wake me up.

Hope you're feeling better this morning!

Sorry your interview was such an ordeal, and that you have to wait at least a week before knowing anything. Waiting to hear from interviews is never nice! When I got my job here, I was shocked but pleased that they rang me the day after to tell me I'd got it (though I was already beginning to bounce off the walls in impatience). I suppose if they've grilled you harshly, they're going to do it to everyone else as well. Not much of a comfort, though.

Oh, I had my appraisal yesterday afternoon... it was interesting. The assessment of my performance was fair and accurate (which I hadn't been expecting!), but I didn't quite get the answer I was expecting when I brought up workload. Basically, he acknowledged we're all overloaded with work, but they're not going to bring any more people in. I then said that there was a very real possibility that I'd end up off on stress, to which he replied, "well, OK, take as much time as you need." I feel like I'm stuck in a Dilbert cartoon!

Chris sounds very active - though I've never heard of indoor cricket, I must admit. I can't imagine Dave ever signing up to go to a gym, either! Our equivalent ritual is going for a McDonalds or suchlike on Friday afternoon after we've finished for the week, and then going up to my parents for tea - living at home does have advantages sometimes!

Birthday cards - you reminded me, I need to get my mum one, as it's her birthday tomorrow (50, no less - though if we mention it, we may endanger our lives!). Thanks!

I felt the need for a glass of last night and I felt better for it. Plus it is a nice sunny day today and everything always seems better when the sun shines.

My Dad will be 59 tomorrow and my Mum is 60 in August. They also have a 40th Wedding Anniversary coming up in June and my brother and I are trying to organise something for that. Jon sent me an e-mail entitled 'Old People' the other day with a load of suggestions and questions in it but he has yet to respond to the mammoth reply I sent him.

My parents live in Lincolnshire, a two hour drive from my house and I wouldn't really want them any nearer!

Staff appraisals, how I love them, NOT! I usually find staff appraisals are an exercise in making me feel inadequate. The one I had last year with my present boss wasn't too bad but it took place in August she still hasn't completed the paperwork for it and none of the things we agreed on have happend, so that was another total waste of time. Your appraisal sounds a tad surreal, I must say.

Chris is quite active. He usually tries to kill me when we go on holiday. So far he has attempted to cripple me with a 12 mile cycle ride when previously I hadn't ridden a bike for 10 years. Then there was the nine mile yomp through a forest when we were in the Lake District in 2001. Mind you, I didn't know it at the time but I had cancer when I did that particular mammoth trek, so in retrospect I am quite proud of myself, but at the time when I had to spend the rest of the holiday limping because my knees were so seized up, I wasn't too pleased! Last year we went to Scotland and on our last day I was persuaded to climb a mountain! OK, so it was Ben Lomond and it's only just over 3000 feet high, but it's still a mountain. Chris could probably have got up and down there in half the time if he hadn't had me with him. He kept saying things like; "Those school kids who overtook us this morning will be back at school by now" and "There's some pensioners coming up the other side and they've got their shopping with them". I think he needs a sportier girlfriend. My brother's flat-mate calls Chris 'Robo-tourist'

He's supposed to be playing golf today, in spite of the fact that he worked a nightshift last night

I lived away from home while I was at uni, and for my first year here, but having to pay off all my student debts and pay loads for rent was more or less crippling me. Fortunately, they accept I'm a grown up, and my only limit is that I have to tell them what I'm doing and where I'm going. As I usually go to Dave's, and they get on well with him, it's accepted as OK .

Your last appraisal sounds like my appraisal before I moved sections last year! We sat down and went through it in September, I finished my section off in September... my last manager only finished the paperwork off 2 weeks ago, and that was only because I and my new manager gave up hassling him and got HR to kick him instead. That was because it was my final graduate appraisal, and I've got a pay rise due off it! So the backpay should be nice when it arrives.

No wonder he's nicknamed "Robo-tourist" - he's scarily active. I can't believe he made you do a 12 mile cycle ride ! Dave can ride a bike, but I haven't ridden one for ages, and at least when he was trying to teach me he let me go to a large open space with nothing to hit without wanting me to cycle that far. He used to do lots of hill walking and stuff but that's kind of stopped since he's been working. At least I know he wouldn't make me walk through a forest for 9 miles (that's silly!!!).

Our last adventure was to Wales for the world rally - 3 days tramping around forests and sleeping in a van, away from toilet and shower facilities. I was tired enough after that, so it's a wonder Chris can cope with playing golf after a night shift!

I reckon I must look very rough today - people are being really nice to me, and keep asking if I'm OK . Mind you, I did forget I was supposed to be doing a rather important sign-off test .

It takes more than a bit of sleep deprivation to keep Chris from his golf. He was only playing in the afternoon so he did get some sleep. He's in my bad books today. I have a man coming to sort out a problem with my kitchen ceiling tomorrow afternoon. I was going to book time off work but Chris offered to deal with it. I checked with him again last weekend that he was still OK to do it and he said yes. Then last night he starts whinging about having to wait in all afternoon. Men! I've got to wait in all day on Monday for some furniture to be delivered so why shouldn't he have some inconvenience also?

I hope the rest of your day goes better and you don't forget anything else.

Liz
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Hiya!

Hope you had a good weekend

Had Friday off ill - had another iffy migraine and Dave wouldn't let me drive till it had cleared, which was yesterday. Kind of nice beig chauffered about, but infuriating as it limited my independence. I've got a courtesy car for a few days while mine is in the garage having a new wing and paint job - its petrol, and I hardly drive petrol cars these days, so it takes a bit more concentration to drive so I don't stall it

Also sent off a job application, and I've got another in the pipeline, which at least helps me feel better about being in work. Funny how it's easier to deal with things when you're hoping it's not going to last much longer! Things are all piled up and I keep forgetting small things, but no disasters yet

Hope all the waiting in for things has been sorted. I think men sometimes have a selective memory (or it takes things a while to sink in, whichever) for those sorts of things.

Hey-up, I hope your migrane is all better now. I get them sometimes (VERY rarely, I'm glad to say) so I know just how debilitating they can be.

Chris dealt with the ceiling man OK in the end, once it became aparent that the weather was going to be poor on Friday afternoon, then he didn't mind staying in. He even cleaned up some of the mess that the ceiling man made, although he missed the plaster spilt down the front door (HOW did that happen?). So the ceiling is now repaired but looks as though it needs painting again.

It blew a gale here all weekend and blew down part of my garden fence. This would be bad enough if I had not spent £120 getting that particular section of fence replaced last summer. Both the telephone numbers I have for the bloke that did it are unobtainable and as I know that he and his girlfriend were planning to go travelling, I can only assume they are out of the country at the moment. So we are having to repair the fence ourselves. I was at home yesterday and Monday and we did go out and start trying to put it back together on Monday afternoon, but it kept raining so after a while we gave up. My next-door-neighbours (the OTHER side, not even the side with the collapsed fence) have felt the need to witter about the state of the fence on three separate occassions already and it's only been down since Saturday. Retired people do have a slightly different perspective on life to the rest of us don't they?

I had Monday off to wait in for a new chair to be delivered and it duly arrived and is very nice, although it looks enormous in my little front room. I have already started referring to it as 'the throne'. My annual leave entitlement runs from April to March so I had yesterday off as well to use up my last day. I love just staying at home and pottering about, doing a bit of housework, reading and generally just chilling out. After working full time for nearly 21 years, I really enjoy the opportunity to stay at home and play house sometimes.

Back at work today and surprisingly busy. A bit too busy in fact, but better than being bored I guess. I hope you have some success with your job applications. . You're right, things are easier to cope with once you think you can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Chat soon
Liz
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Hiya, how are you doing?

Had just over a week off - bliss . A long weekend in Dorset with Dave's parents, and then a few days generally sorting things out. Only just had time to wind down, though, and getting in this morning has got rid of most of my good mood - the only thing retaining it is the knowledge that I have next week off, too . The worst thing is remembering that this time last week, I was walking barefoot with Dave on a beach in Dorset on a lovely warm spring day... and now I'm here with 142 unread emails ! But never mind. Not heard anything about that job I applied for, but I have another application in the system for somewhere else again so I'm feeling positive still!

Have you managed to fix your fence yet? Hopefully the weather's been nice enough where you are to let you do something with it before your neighbours have annoyed you about it too much. Retired people generally have a lot less to worry about than most of us, as well as more time to do it all in.

Some good news for me, anyway - my swollen lymph nodes appear to have decided to behave themselves and they've gone back down to normal . However my itchy spots are reappearing with a vengeance . Daft as it sounds, it seems to be buying me a lot of patience at work as some of the spots are appearing on visible areas now. Either that or it looks like I have a nervous habit .

Anyway, have a good day!

Oh, there you be! I was wondering what had become of you.

I've never been to Dorset but I like the west country generally so I'm sure it's lovely. Are you going away next week too?

I didn't get the job I was interviewed for in the School of Management Arts and Sciences. The interview was three weeks ago but I only found out on Thursday that someone else had been appointed. HR forget to tell the unsuccessful candidates that they had been unsuccessful I have arranged to go and see the School Registrar tomorrow afternoon for a post-mortem I don't usually bother with post-interview feedback but as I have now failed to get three internal positions at the place where I already work I think I need to find out where I am going wrong. Good luck with your applications anyway.

I know what you mean about catching up on e-mails. I had half a days leave this morning because my electricity meter needed to be replaced. I got to work at just after 1 pm and there were 46 e-mails waiting for me. 40 of them were spam and one was from my brother, so you can see what a vital roll I play here

The fence is still not fixed because I am still waiting for my beloved to get off his fat a*** and do it! Men! He did cut the grass last week but then ran out of enthusiasm for out door work I'm still waiting for him to take the bathroom carpet to the dump and that has been sat outside my back door since 25 February!

I'm glad your lymph lumps have gone and I hope your other problems clear up soon. Anyway, I'm off now because it's time to go home

Liz
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The bit where he's from is very nice - all around Lulworth Cove and all that is very close to his parents' house. Lots of rolling countryside . We went to Studland beach, which is part of the National Trust and absolutely gorgeous. It was funny - apparently part of it was a nudist beach , but no-one was quite brave enough while we were there. The Army have some f

Bummer about the job , but at least if you ask why you haven't got it you should get some useful feedback. Even if it hurts it'll help you fine tune things. One good thing about HR here was that even though we'd got out jobs, they offered us feedback from our interviews and assessment centres anyway. Often the areas in which you think you're strongest are the ones which are your weakest, and that certainly was the case with me. Odd, really!

Oh, I wish I could get away that easily . The nice thing about my inbox was that I had 15 emails full of jokes to console myself with!

Chris sounds like Dave! If it's any consolation, he still hasn't tiled his bathroom or tidied the gardens up. He did mow the lawns and tidy (and hoover!) up his living room, but he failed to do the washing up or clean the kitchen. I think men have visual filters which stop them noticing things like that

Today is far too busy for my liking, still haven[t had my lunch yet!