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. :-)

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?!

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.

Have you ever tried to buy charcoal out of "season"? I mean - it really brings home how our lives are controlled by the powers that be in the world of commerce. All we want is to be able to fire up our newly made barbecue this Saturday for Anthony's birthday. Shouldn't be hard really. But no. It's "the wrong time of year" to have a bbq apparently. Why? Who decides when we're supposed to do these things? I can understand in March that it's not top of the retail priority list, but honestly - you'd have thought you could at least get it somewhere!

Still - I think I've sorted it by paying a ridiculous amount of money to Argos for their last 2 bags.

So yes - we're doing a bbq tomorrow night for Anthony's birthday. He's made a fabulous looking half oil drum barbecue for the event, and we'll have at least 3 chimineas available to keep us warm (which is a LOT of heat!). Plus the copious amounts of alcohol that are inevitable on these occasions mean we probably won't feel the cold anyway! :-)

Well what a revelation dog training classes are! I mean - I knew we needed a little assistance with our rather strong-willed intelligent puppy, but I hadn't realised quite how much was really required! We've only done 1 class and seen a massive difference already. In us, that is, not the dog. He already knows what needs doing. In fact I suspect he's breathing a huge sigh of relief today thinking 'finally - they're actually doing things properly now. I was waiting for them to figure it out'. It's quite scary thinking that your dog is actually probably more intelligent than you!

Here he is sitting on the sofa with the cat. It's nice that they get on so well, although they are a little Tom & Jerry-ish sometimes! It's odd to think that only 3 months ago these two were actually the same size!

Anyway I'm having a squeaky toy pressed into my leg as I'm typing so I think that's a hint that I've been on the computer ignoring him for long enough!

Spring has Sprung!!

Well at least that's how it feels anyway!

The sun is shining, it's not really cold, the daffodils are definitely growing (not flowering yet but it's only February after all!). There's a good feeling in the air today for some reason.

I think it's spring in my head as well - after a rather dark autumn and winter it's definitely feeling like time for a fresh new start for me. I don't mean in terms of what I'm doing - but in terms of how I'm feeling. It's good. Suddenly I feel like things are dropping into place and life is positive again. I am back in control of me again - which feels fab.

Wishing everyone who reads this a smiley Friday (or whatever day it is you read this on). :-))

S xx

You're not going to believe this...

I don't think I do either. But after FOUR MONTHS of waiting (actually it's a week or two longer than that, but what the heck) - we have a fully connected functioning landline!!!!! Yaaaaayyyyyy! (said in a Kermit style)

In fact it's been so long I can't actually find where I've hidden the phone cable! (minor detail - really not bothered by this.)

No more sitting in the garden when it's freezing just to make a call, or huddling on the freezing granite windowsill at the front of the house in the hope the signal will get through. No more me thinking my phone has signal but if the wind speed changes it doesn't so no-one can get hold of me. What a novelty this will be!!

Now I wonder how long it'll be before the broadband's connected..... ;-)