Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Going to London to Visit the Queen
Some news at last. For the next 8 months or so (or until I get fed up), I shall be travelling down to London on Mondays and returning on Tuesdays, thus giving me an evening a week free in the Great Metropolis. Which should be nice in summer. I may get sick of my hotel room pretty quickly however. Suggestions as to sources of entertainment welcome.
Still have Wednesdays off. Thurs and Fridays I will be at my current work until that vanishes away, probably around the end of May, and then I will be working mainly at home with an exciting new (and currently non-functional) laptop and with fortnightly visits to my old office at its new and near-inaccessible premises.
Other news- at the end of March (after the Big Work Thing) I am planning a week off to recover and use up some of my excess annual leave. The Plan at the moment is not yet sorted out, not least because I haven't actually told the people I intend to visit that Ithey need to invite me, but subject to people being in, having space and being tolerant, the intention is to combine a bit of wild camping in assorted National Parks with some socialising. (The National Parks don't really like wild campers, but since their main issue is with fire risk and it's unlikely to be particularly dry in March, I think I should be OK.) I don't think I'm organised enough to camp for more than one night, so the intention is to camp then visit for a couple of nights then repeat and end upon a hilltop somewhere on the way home, hopefully doing a bit of washing (me and clothes) on the way (since lightweight camping dictates one change of clothes maximum).
I have caused some discussion at work by turning up with a large rucksack and hiking boots- at the moment I can't comfortably carry the minimum I need to take so I'm in training with library books, water bottles and a copy of the Complete Works of Shakespeare weighing around 1.33 kg. Slightly sore shoulders, which is good, and blisters, which is not terribly useful.
Emails to appropriate people should go out shortly (after I've checked dates etc with Beloved) but the general direction is North :-)
I have had to put aside the chicken coop that I had requested for my birthday in favour of a lightweight solo tent- off to the NEC Outdoor Show to look at them in a couple of weeks time. Not the best time for keeping chickens anyway- too much risk that the Government will order them slaughtered if bird flu takes hold. Maybe next year.
Still have Wednesdays off. Thurs and Fridays I will be at my current work until that vanishes away, probably around the end of May, and then I will be working mainly at home with an exciting new (and currently non-functional) laptop and with fortnightly visits to my old office at its new and near-inaccessible premises.
Other news- at the end of March (after the Big Work Thing) I am planning a week off to recover and use up some of my excess annual leave. The Plan at the moment is not yet sorted out, not least because I haven't actually told the people I intend to visit that Ithey need to invite me, but subject to people being in, having space and being tolerant, the intention is to combine a bit of wild camping in assorted National Parks with some socialising. (The National Parks don't really like wild campers, but since their main issue is with fire risk and it's unlikely to be particularly dry in March, I think I should be OK.) I don't think I'm organised enough to camp for more than one night, so the intention is to camp then visit for a couple of nights then repeat and end upon a hilltop somewhere on the way home, hopefully doing a bit of washing (me and clothes) on the way (since lightweight camping dictates one change of clothes maximum).
I have caused some discussion at work by turning up with a large rucksack and hiking boots- at the moment I can't comfortably carry the minimum I need to take so I'm in training with library books, water bottles and a copy of the Complete Works of Shakespeare weighing around 1.33 kg. Slightly sore shoulders, which is good, and blisters, which is not terribly useful.
Emails to appropriate people should go out shortly (after I've checked dates etc with Beloved) but the general direction is North :-)
I have had to put aside the chicken coop that I had requested for my birthday in favour of a lightweight solo tent- off to the NEC Outdoor Show to look at them in a couple of weeks time. Not the best time for keeping chickens anyway- too much risk that the Government will order them slaughtered if bird flu takes hold. Maybe next year.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Soup
Feeling better today.
Today I spent 6 hours sitting in a cold field dispensing hot drinks and soup to the frisbee-playing masses. Many of whom were curious as to why exactly I was doing this, particularly as a quick look at the prices being charged made it clear that no profit was going to ensue.
I wondered that myself, but it finally dawned on me that 6 hours with cold wet feet and no entertainment except some particularly tricky sudoku was the least that I was prepared to go through in order to gain the gratitude of a bunch of strangers. I just wanted my soup to be admired, and it was. Happiness!
Today I spent 6 hours sitting in a cold field dispensing hot drinks and soup to the frisbee-playing masses. Many of whom were curious as to why exactly I was doing this, particularly as a quick look at the prices being charged made it clear that no profit was going to ensue.
I wondered that myself, but it finally dawned on me that 6 hours with cold wet feet and no entertainment except some particularly tricky sudoku was the least that I was prepared to go through in order to gain the gratitude of a bunch of strangers. I just wanted my soup to be admired, and it was. Happiness!
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Nearly a month since I last posted. This isn't a very representative blog- I only tend to get round to saying anything when I'm high.
Not too bad today, actually. yesterday I gave up on work at lunchtime and went for a walk in the park because I'd got severely confused. Today doesn't feel quite right but provided that no-one tells me to do two things at once I should get by. No visual effects, no excessive high mood but a high inclination to dance around the room and to burble on the Guardian chat pages and BGG.
Last weekend we went river kayaking in the snow; cold and wet but fun, if a bit scary. Only one of us fell in and it wasn't me (or Son) :-)
Tonight assorted family are descending for a meal to celebrate Beloved's 40th birthday at Jimmy Spices, renowned for good food and appalling service.
I've just finished sending a complaint to my local NHS mental health trust- those with long memories will recall that last September I did a three day EEG test with sleep deprivation. Nearly 6 months later I still haven't heard a word from the hospital about the results. I've phoned three times and been told each time that someone will call back- they haven't. A month ago I sent a very polite letter asking for someone to call to let me know what was going on- nothing. So I've had a bit of a complain. If the complaints department doesn't reply either I'll know that its a conspiracy, or that I have ceased to exist. Either of which might be useful to know. I'll have to devise some further test to work out which.
I hope I don't have to resort to complaining to my MP- I would hate to be beholden to someone that I have so little respect for. I suspect I've fallen foul of the budget cuts, but it would be nice to know.
Looks like I shall be spending two days a week in London for the next few months. I must try to do something about social life whilst there- otherwise its a lot of sitting in hotel room knitting and watching TV.
That's about all the news for the moment- not much but then thinking isn't my strong point at present.
Not too bad today, actually. yesterday I gave up on work at lunchtime and went for a walk in the park because I'd got severely confused. Today doesn't feel quite right but provided that no-one tells me to do two things at once I should get by. No visual effects, no excessive high mood but a high inclination to dance around the room and to burble on the Guardian chat pages and BGG.
Last weekend we went river kayaking in the snow; cold and wet but fun, if a bit scary. Only one of us fell in and it wasn't me (or Son) :-)
Tonight assorted family are descending for a meal to celebrate Beloved's 40th birthday at Jimmy Spices, renowned for good food and appalling service.
I've just finished sending a complaint to my local NHS mental health trust- those with long memories will recall that last September I did a three day EEG test with sleep deprivation. Nearly 6 months later I still haven't heard a word from the hospital about the results. I've phoned three times and been told each time that someone will call back- they haven't. A month ago I sent a very polite letter asking for someone to call to let me know what was going on- nothing. So I've had a bit of a complain. If the complaints department doesn't reply either I'll know that its a conspiracy, or that I have ceased to exist. Either of which might be useful to know. I'll have to devise some further test to work out which.
I hope I don't have to resort to complaining to my MP- I would hate to be beholden to someone that I have so little respect for. I suspect I've fallen foul of the budget cuts, but it would be nice to know.
Looks like I shall be spending two days a week in London for the next few months. I must try to do something about social life whilst there- otherwise its a lot of sitting in hotel room knitting and watching TV.
That's about all the news for the moment- not much but then thinking isn't my strong point at present.
