I really hadn't realised how long it is since I've put anything on here. I think I'd sort of forgotten about it. Still - I've found it again now so we'll see whether this post is a one off or the start of me posting here again.
Facebook - hmmm. I've recently gone back to it and I'm still really not convinced. To be fair the reason for going back is because of the Cornish Womble - to see if we can use it to drum up some more business. We'll give it a go and see what happens - but I remain sceptical. I still really don't like the intrusive nature of it. The sense of 'being on show'. And does anyone else get that twinge of guilt when someone sends a friend request and you refuse it because actually if it wasn't for facebook you would have nothing to do with them?
Twitter - now what the heck is that all about? I signed up to try it out, and to be honest 5 'tweets' later (who came up with THAT name for them - I think of sylvester & tweetie pie every time I go on there) I still don't really have a clue 1. how it works, or 2. what the point is. I think i'm going to give up on that one as popular technology defeating me. Not that I really care.
I actually 'wrote someone a letter' the other day. As in - pen and paper (none of this typed stuff either). While obviously it took a lot longer than typing an email would have been, it was strangely therapeutic. There's something nice in writing by hand - it slows the brain down to really think about what you're writing. The fact that there's no 'delete' button means if you get it wrong - it's obvious and visible (well - unless you tear up the paper and start again!), so in turn you take more care over what you're writing. Everything's in such a rush these days - it was nice to do something the 'old fashioned' way.
I think I'm feeling my age. That 4 number is creeping up on me. Having '7' on the end of my age is closer to the mid point of the decade. However with the '8' approaching fast I've definitely turned the corner to be closer to the end of the decade. That means I'm in my 'late' 30's rather than 'mid'. It's kind of depressing.
Enough waffle for one day. I will probably be back.
Monday 20 June 2011
Thursday 15 July 2010
New addition
We have a new addition to the family - Gizmo. She's a 2 year old black cat with white throat and toes. Absolutely tiny but very friendly and affectionate. We only picked her up last night but so far she's settling in very well. She hasn't met the dog yet but I'm sure they will be fine together when they do meet.
I'll get some pics up soon (when she stays still long enough for me to take any!).
I'll get some pics up soon (when she stays still long enough for me to take any!).
Wednesday 16 June 2010
What a month
Well - we've had an interesting few weeks! Some good, some bad, but overall it's all OK in the end.
I really can't be bothered going into it all but the headlines are: After Anthony picked up the van from Dad in early May, we thought that would make life easier - having 2 vehicles again. Sadly my car didn't agree with this so about 10 days later I was forced to take her to the place where she'll probably be turned into spoons. Back to 1 car again.
Mr Bobbins - the beautiful grey tabby cat - sadly died after being hit by a car in the early hours of a Friday morning. Fortunately he had no visible injuries so we can assume it was quick and he probably didn't even feel it. We will get another cat fairly soon.
I'm not diabetic. Yay! This may seem a little random, but I had a dodgy result from one test so had a nervous 2 week wait til the other one to confirm. The doctor thought it would be the test to confirm the diagnosis but it turns out he was wrong. It must have just been a blip. BIG sigh of relief when that came through.
Work are being as silly as they were before I went off last year - but I'm basically ignoring them now. As long as they pay me I don't care.
Anthony's work are being even sillier. Having told him he's being made redundant at the end of June, half way through the month we still haven't had anything official through. So I guess that means he's still got a job for now. Or at least - a pay packet. Still - he's working hard setting up his new businesses. AT Woodcrafts (where he's making furniture out of recycled wood) and AT Services (where he's doing handyman jobs that the other 'big guys' won't do as the jobs are too small). Both seem to be coming along nicely.
We're off on holiday at the end of June - I think after the last few weeks we need a break!
I really can't be bothered going into it all but the headlines are: After Anthony picked up the van from Dad in early May, we thought that would make life easier - having 2 vehicles again. Sadly my car didn't agree with this so about 10 days later I was forced to take her to the place where she'll probably be turned into spoons. Back to 1 car again.
Mr Bobbins - the beautiful grey tabby cat - sadly died after being hit by a car in the early hours of a Friday morning. Fortunately he had no visible injuries so we can assume it was quick and he probably didn't even feel it. We will get another cat fairly soon.
I'm not diabetic. Yay! This may seem a little random, but I had a dodgy result from one test so had a nervous 2 week wait til the other one to confirm. The doctor thought it would be the test to confirm the diagnosis but it turns out he was wrong. It must have just been a blip. BIG sigh of relief when that came through.
Work are being as silly as they were before I went off last year - but I'm basically ignoring them now. As long as they pay me I don't care.
Anthony's work are being even sillier. Having told him he's being made redundant at the end of June, half way through the month we still haven't had anything official through. So I guess that means he's still got a job for now. Or at least - a pay packet. Still - he's working hard setting up his new businesses. AT Woodcrafts (where he's making furniture out of recycled wood) and AT Services (where he's doing handyman jobs that the other 'big guys' won't do as the jobs are too small). Both seem to be coming along nicely.
We're off on holiday at the end of June - I think after the last few weeks we need a break!
Monday 10 May 2010
WE'RE ONLINE!!!!!
I don't quite believe it myself - but yes folks - since placing the order on 10th September 2009, I am delighted to be able to report that on the 10th May 2010 we are actually properly ONLINE!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
Now all that's left is to post the 3 page documentation of all the calls, conversations and other correspondence to the responsible company, along with the odd (I think) reasonable request for certain discounts and see what happens! (In case you're considering a TV/Phone/Broadband package I won't name who it is so you can avoid them, but let's just say we don't have cable in Cornwall...)
I'm not holding my breath though...!
WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
Now all that's left is to post the 3 page documentation of all the calls, conversations and other correspondence to the responsible company, along with the odd (I think) reasonable request for certain discounts and see what happens! (In case you're considering a TV/Phone/Broadband package I won't name who it is so you can avoid them, but let's just say we don't have cable in Cornwall...)
I'm not holding my breath though...!
Tuesday 20 April 2010
Back at work
Hi all
Well I've been back at this work lark for a couple of weeks now so thought it was about time I did an update. You know what? It's OK. I'm working on 'light duties' for the first 3 months so I'm not quite exposed to all the stuff that was going on before (which is nice). Basically that means I've been given 3 large projects to get my teeth into which have needed doing for a very long time but no-one's had the time (or inclination!) to do them. Actually they're quite fun! I'm writing a newsletter, completely redesigning the shared drive for the team's electronic files, and designing and creating a new team webspace. (The old one closed down on 31st March).
Apart from that I'm still doing Saturday's in Oxfam, and still loving it! They really are all as mad as hatters in there - but it's such a good laugh it's brilliant. The Ann Summers parties are a little slow at the moment, but I do the odd one here and there.
I think it's safe to say I'm keeping busy! Overall though, life is good, positive and I'm still smiling. Hope everyone else is as well. :-)
Well I've been back at this work lark for a couple of weeks now so thought it was about time I did an update. You know what? It's OK. I'm working on 'light duties' for the first 3 months so I'm not quite exposed to all the stuff that was going on before (which is nice). Basically that means I've been given 3 large projects to get my teeth into which have needed doing for a very long time but no-one's had the time (or inclination!) to do them. Actually they're quite fun! I'm writing a newsletter, completely redesigning the shared drive for the team's electronic files, and designing and creating a new team webspace. (The old one closed down on 31st March).
Apart from that I'm still doing Saturday's in Oxfam, and still loving it! They really are all as mad as hatters in there - but it's such a good laugh it's brilliant. The Ann Summers parties are a little slow at the moment, but I do the odd one here and there.
I think it's safe to say I'm keeping busy! Overall though, life is good, positive and I'm still smiling. Hope everyone else is as well. :-)
Monday 22 March 2010
All about Blue
Well - according to the vet nurse this morning, our not so little bundle of chaos is particularly calm for his age and breed!!! Eeeek! I'd hate to meet one that wasn't calm! I suppose he is very well behaved really, and he's going through adolescence at the moment so deliberate naughtiness is to be expected. He's absolutely loving training though - and responding very well to it. (I guess I'm not doing too badly either!!)
He's growing well as well - 14.9kg this morning. Looks like he's going to be quite tall but skinny though - she reckoned this morning he probably won't really go above 17kg. I've just measured him as well - he's about 20" tall at the shoulder now.
So it's all looking like he's pretty much made for agility when he's older, which is nice. I want to do something with him anyway - he's too intelligent not to be doing something (and given that we don't have a farm yet ...!). He absolutely adores the few little bits we do in training - running through tunnels and so on. So roll on 31st August when he gets to 12 months. The adolescence should be over (yay!), and his bones will be solid enough to start doing agility properly.
The only real problem at the moment is him scratching & biting at the back of the sofa. We've stopped him going for everything else, but the problem with this one is that the cat does it. In the social structure in our house the cat is definitely below the dog! So it's hard to stop him doing something that the cat does - our only chance is to stop the cat doing it.
Anyone got any tips on how to successfully train a cat?!
He's growing well as well - 14.9kg this morning. Looks like he's going to be quite tall but skinny though - she reckoned this morning he probably won't really go above 17kg. I've just measured him as well - he's about 20" tall at the shoulder now.
So it's all looking like he's pretty much made for agility when he's older, which is nice. I want to do something with him anyway - he's too intelligent not to be doing something (and given that we don't have a farm yet ...!). He absolutely adores the few little bits we do in training - running through tunnels and so on. So roll on 31st August when he gets to 12 months. The adolescence should be over (yay!), and his bones will be solid enough to start doing agility properly.
The only real problem at the moment is him scratching & biting at the back of the sofa. We've stopped him going for everything else, but the problem with this one is that the cat does it. In the social structure in our house the cat is definitely below the dog! So it's hard to stop him doing something that the cat does - our only chance is to stop the cat doing it.
Anyone got any tips on how to successfully train a cat?!
Tuesday 9 March 2010
Work update
Right - I've avoided posting much about work along the way as I've had a few differing ideas about what was going to happen. However, reality kicks in and the situation is this.
I'm no longer signed off work sick - as of last Thursday I am officially fit and well again. (It's actually been longer than that but a lot of the last month or more has been a paper / bureaucratic nightmare!) I am, however, currently on annual leave. Well - I needed a break from work after having 7 months off! ;-) (More of that bureaucracy again unfortunately). I'm actually going back to work on Thursday 1st April (and no it's not a joke!). In the meantime, to stop me going completely insane (...errr ... again?!?!) I'm starting this week volunteering at my local Oxfam shop. So there you go.
This being off sick lark has really raised a number of observations about "the system" though. It's quite ridiculous how difficult it is to return to work after being off. I've been trying to go back since the start of February! That may be just the Cornwall Council system of course - but overall things really aren't easy when you're off for any length of time. I even entered the murky realm of 'benefits'. Oh my word how complex is that system?! I'm supposed to be intelligent but even I couldn't fathom out what I was supposed to do with the reams of paper they sent me. The worst thing about the whole thing is that this system is supposed to be in place to help people who are ill. Well if you have the slightest hint of mental illness like I did, you don't stand a chance. Really - I now completely understand how people manage to lose their jobs, homes, families etc. through this.
I wouldn't wish the whole mental illness thing on anyone - it's not been pleasant - but now I've come out the other side I think it's really given me one heck of an insight into a very different world. It's quite humbling and enlightening really.
I'm no longer signed off work sick - as of last Thursday I am officially fit and well again. (It's actually been longer than that but a lot of the last month or more has been a paper / bureaucratic nightmare!) I am, however, currently on annual leave. Well - I needed a break from work after having 7 months off! ;-) (More of that bureaucracy again unfortunately). I'm actually going back to work on Thursday 1st April (and no it's not a joke!). In the meantime, to stop me going completely insane (...errr ... again?!?!) I'm starting this week volunteering at my local Oxfam shop. So there you go.
This being off sick lark has really raised a number of observations about "the system" though. It's quite ridiculous how difficult it is to return to work after being off. I've been trying to go back since the start of February! That may be just the Cornwall Council system of course - but overall things really aren't easy when you're off for any length of time. I even entered the murky realm of 'benefits'. Oh my word how complex is that system?! I'm supposed to be intelligent but even I couldn't fathom out what I was supposed to do with the reams of paper they sent me. The worst thing about the whole thing is that this system is supposed to be in place to help people who are ill. Well if you have the slightest hint of mental illness like I did, you don't stand a chance. Really - I now completely understand how people manage to lose their jobs, homes, families etc. through this.
I wouldn't wish the whole mental illness thing on anyone - it's not been pleasant - but now I've come out the other side I think it's really given me one heck of an insight into a very different world. It's quite humbling and enlightening really.
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