I just can't seem to do Thursdays

Mid week comes and goes, but it is Thursday mornings that are always the hardest for me. 3 days of early mornings / late nights behind me, any rest from the weekend has been used. Reserves are low. Couple this with no early meetings and dragging my butt out of bed becomes nearly impossible.

I managed it in the end, and the day began. The descent to the weekend continues. 1 meeting today, and an afternoon of training. No meetings tomorrow (allowing me to do some actual work!); and then we're done.

Maybe I should just take Thursdays off.

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Half way. Is the glass empty or full?

Mid way into the week, and hopefully an easy slide to the weekend. I have a huge back log of e-mails to go through, and some other paperwork to bring up to date; but with less meetings (including none on Friday yet) I may get up to date.

I went for a sport massage yesterday evening. On top of all the problems with my feet (or maybe as a result of them) all the muscles in my legs are *extremely* tight. So I have a number of sessions booked so they can be pushed, prodded, and generally loosened up. Yesterday's session ached, but wasn't as painful as I'd expected. It's probably too early to say whether it made a difference.

Otherwise, life carries on. Little one slept better last night. The lack of sauna-like conditions helped. Other than that, nothing major to report. Onwards to the weekend!

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And they're off...

2days in, and I've got a seat from the start of the journey both days. Must be the summer holidays. Also, as there are less than ten people standing in the whole carriage, the temperature is reasonable too. That won't last.

The huge amount of rain last night took the edge off the temperature, and the family managed to sleep through. Personally, I'm feeling a bit dead this morning. The weekend is catching up.

Our friends coming to visit have postponed for a couple of weekends which has helped relieve the pressure to get everything straightened out. This means we can use this weekend to clear the garage and get the house sorted after a couple of weekends in the garden.

Had a nice doze on the tube. Makes a change!

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Monday morning issues

Having blackberry problems this morning, so typing this is an exercise in patience. When I hit select I get 'uo' when I hit back I get 'hl'. Not very helpful. Everything else works, so I'm working around the issue. The thing was fine yesterday, and then I put it down and came back to check it 3 hours later where it started doing this. I've rebooted it twice, but to no avail.

Anyway, minor technical problemets aside, we finally got our third and final 6ft by 6ft piece of trellis fully stained. I'll fit it inplace tonight and complete our screening. The playhouse is also complete (bar a couple of wobbly windows), so a productive weekend all round

Unfortunately, since we started doing the trellis we've had an extra pole and 2ft section inserted, and had some horizontal trellis fitted to the wall of the house, and in the conservatory. So our adventures in staining are not quite at an end.

The 'shock' headline in the Metro this morning is, "Human sewage used for cereals". I have to say, my first thought was, "People will do anything to avoid eating muesli."

Another week begins. This is the first one of many without my right hand girl as she's off on secondment in South Africa. I know I, and the team, will cope, but I'd rather we didn't have to!

Other than that, many meetings (though hopefully less than last week), and the usual problems and issues are bound to crop up, but nothing major. We have some friends visiting this weekend, so that's to look forward to. A saturday of wine and bbq would be nice. Hope the weather's up to it.

Speaking of the weather, who turned the heat up. Last night was the hottest, most humid, and yet stillest night yet. Even when we were woken at 5:11 (apologies for the stupid number I've just found out my zero is also playing up, it types 'yi' or ')I' depending on how I select it!) It still hadn't cooled down much. It's all a bit much really. We're British, there must be someone to complain to!

Right, enough waffling! I'll have nothing to write about the rest of the week at this rate! Time for the day to begin. Good start so far, I've got a seat on the tube!

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That Friday feeling

Tired and late this morning. I didn't get home until 20:30 last night, and hit the wrong button on the alarm this morning.

Problems with one of the systems I look after kept me working late, and there are accusations of inaccuracies in a report I didn't generate (and wouldn't have generated) that was based on data I provided for a completely different purpose.

On top of all that, my deputy / right hand girl is off to South Africa for 3 months on secondment.

With all that, there isn't much else I can think of.
The weekend will be busy, and followed by another busy week, so no respite there.

However, the wonky roof on our daughters playhouse was fixed yesterday, and as a bonus they gabled (is that a word?) and felted it too, so all that remains is the windows which helps greatly.

If the weather holds the final trellis panel can finally be stained and fitted, and another couple of large jobs can be ticked off.

Time to go, still a while to travel, but I need to get my head in the right space. Bring on the weekend, busy as it may be.

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Why bother?

By the time I got on my second train today I might as well have not bothered dryin off after my shower. Having the shower itself seemed almost as pointless. It's hot, humid, and I'm tired. It's going to be a good day!

The heat and humidity is wearing down my household. The house retains so much heat, and the lack of breeze at the moment is making some rooms, including my daughters, a bit sauna like. Poor little mite is often covered in sweat when we check on her.

To add insult to injury, heathrow decided to land planes from the West this morning, that means every plane about to enter final approachflies slowly over the south side of our house turning north, and then east as they fly back north of our house. Yes, they're quite high up, but the still air, the slow speed, and the frequency makes sleeping difficult, and returning to sleep once awake nearly impossible.

Now, what else can I whinge about? Probably plenty, but I won't.

Topical news question given the sentencing of the canoe fraud case. Why on earth did he return to the UK and kick this off? If he'd remained in Panama, and stuck to the plan their wouldn't have been any issues. Why the daft amnesia tale? I just don't get it. Even if the tale had worked the insurance money would have had to be returned and they'd have lost out financially.

Right, I'm now 90 degrees, squashed, and 12 minutes from work. I love my life.

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Another day...

Inspiration has gone AWOL this morning. Hump day has arrived, and with it 5 and a half hours of meetings. That's a big hump! Can't say I'm looking forward to it, but I'm sure I'll claw back some time along the way.

Thinking about life choices at the moment. Where do I want to be in 1, 2, 3 years time? What's the next step. I always thought a technical person would be a good manager. I've had those who don't understand what I'm saying and that's useless. However, maybe it's not as clear cut. Engineers, technical people are used to building systems. We define every aspect of them. We know everything about them. We revel in the details, the control. I'm slowly realising that managers have no control. Power, and decision making is not control.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a detail man. Organised, and in control. The question is, can I learn to relinquish that control? To stop being the engineer and become the manager. I hope so, and I'm beginning to formulate a way of doing it. Only question remains, is it what I want to do? Does it lead to somewhere I want to be?

Only time will tell.

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Is it really only Tuesday?

I feel like most of the week should be behind me by now and I've only done one day! Oh dear!

I'm definitely growing old and out of touch. The Dr. Horrible (if you don't know what I'm talking about, don't worry, it's finished) thing last week would have been something I knew about pre-event in the past. I'd have been the one spreading the word. As it was, I found out about it on Saturday, read that it finished on Sunday on the Sunday itself, and finally watched it all at going on 10 at night.

I still got there. I still have my ear to the ground, but I am slowly slipping out of touch.

Tired this morning, but not 'tired to the bone' yet. It's getting to the point where I dream about early nights and long lie-ins. Sad isn't it!?

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I'm back...

And it's like I was never away!

Reasonable start; overslept by 9 minutes, had to run for the train. Made it, and it was as over crowded a journey as ever. Standout moment: the buffet girl asking this whale of a bloke to stand elsewhere as people couldn't get past him.

Rammed platform on the bakerloo due to a defective train. I've now transferred to the circle and am on my way again.

So, 10 days off. I don't feel anymore rested than when I left, but I think I probably am. Work stresses never left, and the forced detatchment probably caused as much stress as it avoided. Of the 2 jobs I wanted to get done, the majority of the playhouse is built, however one of the roof panels has been built incorrectly, so that's on hold until a replacement is sourced. The trellis remains unpainted.

We had a good trip to my parents allowing us to catch up with my grandparents too. Little one was very well behaved. Even with a cold she was great around my family, and not too clingey at all.
The rest of the week has been jobs, shopping, walks, and not much sleep. Our poor bunny seems to be getting the last of her molars (thankfully her last teeth), and is waking in the night. She's quickly calmed, but the disruption is playing hell with our energy levels.

So that's it. A quick break, and we're back commuting. Like all these things, it's like I was never away.

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Time off

Today is the last working day for me for the next 10 days, but I'm not ready to relax just yet. I have a feeling that today will be hectic and busy with all those last minute problems cropping up as they always do just before you leave for a while.

I always find that your last day before a holiday puts you so far beyond that it takes a good 2 or 3 days to recover. The flip side of the holiday is always so busy too that by 10am you may as well have not been away.

Still, this time tomorrow I'll have got a bit more sleep than usual, and aim to be waiting for a new iPhone to replace the one my wife shattered after dropping it on the floor one too many times. After that we'll be off up the country at some point during the day to visit my parents for a few days.

Once we get home it's a combination of jobs and relaxation. Hopefully those last couple of big jobs will get completed, and all those little niggling jobs can also get done. That, more than anything, will allow me to relax.

Posting will obviously be sporadic for a short while. I'm trying to persuade my wife to do a guest post, and I may get some down time where I feel I have something to write. However, don't expect much until a week on Monday (all 3 of you you read this thing that is!)

Au revoir. Or as Arnie said, "I'll be back!"

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Mid-week malaise

I've been working hard to put up some longer posts here recently, but today I'm struggling.

Although, technically, today is mid way through the week, this week is a short one for me as I have Friday off. As a result I'm having 5 days of meetings in 4. This combined with reports week, a DR paperwork exercise to tick some boxes, the mid-year appraisals to do, and a large number of new people in the team depriving me of system knowledge is causing me a bit of a headache!

Time for a holiday. Oh! Look at that! I'm off Friday and all next week. No blackberry (at least no work e-mails), no forwarded phone. Peace and quiet for a few days. Hopefully get the 2 major jobs finished in the garden, and a myriad of small tasks done in the house. Along with some much needed relaxation time.

Last post of the week tomorrow.

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On being wonderful

The, so far, untold story of Friday night (scroll down for a recap on stupidity) is the wonderfulness of my wife.

To start with she was having a hell of a day with our little bundle of joy, but declined my offer to come home, and said I should go out, she'd be fine.

A couple of text messages through the evening indicated things hadn't got much better, but that my darling daughter did go to sleep once she finally got there.

The first time I spoke to her was just after 11 to appraise her of my travel plans. She was only concerned for me, wondering if I'd make a connection, worried about me doing something daft (like walking home from the station), offering to bundle little one into the car and come and meet me. I re-assured her I would be fine, the train may let me make my connection, and no matter which station I ended up at I'd get a cab home.

She rang me as I got on the train, again worried about my well-being. We discussed contingency plans. Again she offered to come and get me. Those without kids won't quite understand the magnitude of this offer. To willingly put yourself through waking the babe is a generous offer indeed. Satisfied that I wasn't going to try walking 5 miles or anything equally silly we rang off again.

The next time she rung me was after midnight. It was during this call that I had the dawning realisation that things weren't going to plan. I should have been home by now, not still on a train. There were no recriminations, just a calm, worried concern for myself.

I rang her back after consulting my GPS to confirm the bad news. Still no anger. In fact, she was finding it quite amusing; in a worried, concerned sort of way.

We spoke again outside the station. My wife had de-camped bed and moved to the computer from where she was looking for options for me. Luckily for me, I found a hotel quick enough, and left her as I rang the night bell.

We spoke again once I got to my room. She'd found me a couple of other nearby options in case this one hadn't worked out. However, now assured I was safe and well, we said goodnight and put the phones down.

I probably got more sleep than my wife as I immediately dropped off into my usual, earthquakes wouldn't wake me, state, whilst she was wide awake and worried about me.

Getting home the next day, there was no hostility; even when I revealed I had a hangover. Throughout the was just loveliness and concern. And something to take the piss out of for many years to come!

My wife's wonderful. I love her very much.

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On good times, stupidity, and the excellence of backup plans

Friday night was a good time. I haven't been out and relaxed for a whole evening for some time. I had slightly too much to drink, but didn't do anything stupider than boring a group of Mums with baby talk.

Mindfull of my travel restrictions, I left the group at 22:10, leaving myself, I thought, plenty of time to catch to 23:00 train, and the 23:42 interchange. Minor problem; there is no 23:00. Having never left travelling so late before I had no idea of the timetables. Had to go for the 23:21 to Slough, Reading and Oxford. One extra stop, not too bad. Timings would be interesting for the interchange, but worst comes to the worst I could always get a taxi.

I'd spoken to my darling wife at this point, and appraised her of the situation, with rough timings. I got on the train, and promptly fell asleep.

I was woken by my phone ringing. It was my wife. Slightly disoriented, I answered. She asked where I was, I hadn't a clue. I asked the time, 00:15. That wasn't possible. Even with a stop at Slough the train should have been in at midnight. I was suddenly aware that no one was sitting around me, and realisation began to dawn. I disconnected, and checked the GPS. We were approaching Oxford!

Long story short (too late), I rang back, explained, sorted a hotel out near the station, and travelled home the next morning.

Saturday saw the conquering of a minor hangover with some work in the garden. I dug out and compressed the ground for my daughter's playhouse. I then started levelling the ground, but ran out of sand and time. It looked like a storm was coming, so I used the remaining time to lower our cheap gazebo, and sacure some of the more fragile plants.

Sunday was rain. Out went the planned erection of the playhouse. Instead I emptied, cleaned, tidied and sorted the conservatory. Changing it from the semi storage cupboard it had become into a useable space. My daughter has a playdate with 2 little friends today, so I put down an alphabet playmat, and some crawling toys we had got for the garden; now they have somewhere to play.

The weekend finished with ironing and a clean of the kitchen.

Quick rant on the farce that is London Transport this morning. I arrive at Paddington to be told there are sever delays on the Jubillee, so a stay on the Barkerloo, and change at Oxford Circus (reminders of Friday night), I take the long walk to the Central, and the hot train to Bank. Most of the way through the 6 mile underground hike they announce that there are no DLR services to reduce the risk of overcrowding! They suggest I either get the Central line to Stratford(!) And pick up the DLR from there, or the Northern line to London Bridge, to get the Jubillee. Can anyone see the problems with these suggestions? So I pick the more likely. I now find myself at London Bridge, waiting for severely delayed trains on the Jubillee line, with a huge crowd of people in front and around me doing the same.

Sometimes I really wonder why?!

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Another Friday, another week

Time keeps ticking by. Where do the weeks go? It seems only yesterday I had over 100 days on my homepage countdown until my wife's birthday. Now there's about a month.

On the health side of things, my wheezing has completely cleared up. Thankfully. As have my itchy eyes. I'm still sneezing quite a bit, but the levels of irritation have dropped substantially. If I could now work out what caused all the problems. Fore-warned is fore-armed.

Everything seems to be slowly coming together. Our garden is looking good; and, with some good weather this weekend will have a playhouse in it by Monday. After months of decorating work all the rooms are starting to look tidy; which in turn makes them easier to clean (if we're given the time!). I was looking round our kitchen last night just before bed, and then went through to the dining room, and finally the lounge, and I thought, "It probably was worth it."

Out tonight after work. It'll be good to get out and relax a bit. Next week is report week and I'm only here 4 days, so it'll be compressed and stressy. Off for a week and a day at the end of it though.

Slowly feeling a little less tired. I'm not getting any more sleep, but what I'm getting seems to be doing the job. It certainly makes a difference when the little one sleeps through to a reasonable hour. My poor, long suffering wife could do with more rest though. Our darling daughter may be an angel through the night, but she's certainly making up for it during the day. Very clingy at the moment, and that headstrong Nixon attitude is coming to the fore. Tantrums at 16 months, boy are we looking forward to the 2's!

That about wraps it up I think. Just over 10 minutes away from work; the tube is not too busy this morning. Fallout from a desk move awaits me. Shouldn't be too bad. Then, preperation for next weeks reports, e-mails, and the inevitable meetings. Then fun. Woo.

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Afternoon posts

I may as well accept it. Writing in the afternoon just doesn't work for me. I have my RSS feeds, a free paper, and a hot carriage to deal with. This on top of a full day just doesn't present a good state of mind when it comes to composing posts.

Left late today. Thankfully the meeting and discussions that led to this were productive. Got to the train to find it rammed with no buffet car to lean in. However, on arrival at my interchange I found that my normal train was heavily delayed and I ended up catching it anyway. So, whilst late, I'm no later than I would have been!

Yay.

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No post

Worked from home yesterday, so too many RSS feeds this morning. Now at work. More later...

Maybe.

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What's up?

So, here I am, Tuesday morning, up with the alarm (no snooze button this morning!), feeling pretty chipper. On my way to work, rammed into a train, looking out the window at a gorgeous day in the making.

Had a reasonable kip last night. Not long enough, but deep. Feeling reasonably refreshed.

To make up for yesterday (and Friday), here's a bit of an update.

Thursday night was a celebration for the go-live of a work project. The first part of the evening was in a bar with a couple of workmates, and was a good laugh. The second part was the party, and the food was good. I left at 21:30, and got home at 23:30.

A little tired on Friday, but none the worse for wear, the day passed uneventfully enough, and the weekend was upon us.

I decided to sleep in the back room Friday and Saturday to try and give my wife some decent sleep to help her catch up, so I was awake quite early Saturday. Read for a while before getting little one up and sorting her and a few jobs downstairs out. Off then for a haircut, almost 2 hours of my life wasted waiting for a slot as staff kept taking breaks leaving, essentially, one person to deal with the 8 people ahead of me.

With that ordeal over, there was a quick shopping trip, then the rest of the day was spent sanding trellis. A fun passtime.

Sunday was more of the same, but by the end of the day my wife and I had sanded and stained all of the framework and 2 of the 3 trellis inserts. This leaves us with a couple of hours work needed this weekend to get the final insert done, and we'll be finished!

Yesterday we both hurt!

During all of this there has been plenty of little one time. She's wandering around like a good 'un. Last night she opened one of her books and, pointing, said "Elephant". She was right, it was.

So that's about all at the moment. I feel there is a rant in me somewhere, but it can't formulate itself just yet, so something to look forward to there.

Off now to enjoy the sight of the beautiful weather from my sealed office building. Joy.

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