kidz

Abby's red hair

messy hair

Danielle growing up fast

Wulf being cool

his new tee-shirt

He's very proud of it.....
Now he needs one to sort out vicars.

that catering coach

It would appear that every Sunday for the foreseeable future I'm cook in the Midsomer Norton's Catering Coach. Quite funny really..... me a cook? This is Danz in the galley kitchen.

Spring arrives in the coach. I love Daffodils. They were my grandads favourite flowers.

And outside on the patio work begins on putting up the patio furniture. Really lovely tables... remember I'm having my wedding reception in this coach and on that patio.
We're having a grand patio opening on Easter Sunday from 1 pm (with disco naturally)

final party

Wednesday and a different kind of final party. One for old members of staff, people who worked here years ago. Pat who was here before the war. People I havent seen for years... I remembered most of their names. Good job there wasn't any champagne this time. A lush fresh cream cake with strawberries. I didn't cry but Lyn did. I think I'll do enough crying next week.

Steve and Karen my ward receptionist whose leaving at the end of the week. So many people going or gone. In an intense period of time.
Ann's retiring. Vera's already gone. Ann, Barbs, Cath, Paula all got new jobs. I guess I have a new job too.
Hmmm.

today

Today the packing cases arrived at work to move the ward. It was all so sad.

The equipment all laid out ready to go

Tonight was Abby's play at Acta. She played Lucy who owned the dating agency.

She drank a lot of gin and vodka and fell over drunk once.... good casting there! but she was the best one. Of course!

knut

How could anyone want to kill him? I know he'll grow into a ten ton killer but hes so cute. Steve wants a polar bear cub for Christmas.... hope on Stephen.

SS GB

I had my interview yesterday for the new job. It was meant to be 10 am but got moved back to 2.30. I was nervous, although I'd been told the job was mine all bar me being totally nuts on the day.
I was all het up all day. Couldn't chill. Stupid really. The interview was fine. She asked me how I was going to cope without all my colleagues around. I have thought of that but when she asked it hit home and after I felt really flat. How am I going to cope without them? Every time I think about it I well up and get all emotional.
So I got the job. It's for the best. I stay where I'm happiest at MY hospital. I keep my manager who is good and knows me well and change is minimalist. Why am I so miserable then?

Pat in the middle got the new job with me. She's my mate and I'll be glad I got her.

Steve bored or drunk? Nah, the DJ was pissing him off.

The girls in their finery. I had a little pole dance round them there poles!! My shoulder hurt the next day!

Saturday night was the big SS Great Britain event. Everyone dressed up. I had about 8 champagnes and 3 large red wines. All paid for. I was so drunk, started the drunk crying of loving everyone. The DJ was awful.... But it was good and I will remember it always.
The guy behind the champagne table will also always remember me... ooops.

sad

I've been trying to ignore the passing days for weeks now but time is lurching forward to the day when the unit closes. The new ward is set to open April 1st. Last night I shut the kitchen door, put on Plan B (don't ask) and cried my eyes out. I'm so sad. I've been there so long. Seen so many things happen, so may children died, so may saved, happy times... staff babies born. Staff children died. Marriages, divorces, affairs, really fun moments and moments of total despair.
It's a really good place to work. There was this article on the BBC website recently about a woman with an illness who was kept going by her place of work supporting her and being patient and understanding. No place has been more understanding than my ward. I remember being so ill, my head was so distorted and begging my manager to let me come to work. She looked at me and smiled. "Debs", she said " We want nothing more than to have you back at work, but we want you better more. Get well. We will be waiting. We love and care about you more than anything"
I am worried about change, about something new... about what will happen but to be honest I'm more sad about what I've lost. About what every single child in Bristol has lost. A unit that cares, that goes that extra mile, that is excellent. Maybe It'll all be OK. Maybe the legacy will carry on. Hope so.
I applied for a new job in out patients. It looks good, busy, interesting, lots of extra investigations. Autonomy and diversity. Hope I get it. We did a pagan ceremony at the lunar eclipse.
Danz wanted to get on better with her school friends. Spring wanted less work, Wulf wanted less football on TV (lol) and I wanted the new job.
I think the next few weeks are going to find me rather emotional. We're going to the SS Great Britain on Saturday for a closing Grand Ball. Cost a fortune, but it's a full night of music, food and drink. Hope I don't cry all night...

this weekend

Steve his sister and Wulf at the Bridge... he hates that bloody bridge.

Heidi loved Ella.

Danielle and Ella at Steve's Gran's 90th Birthday party. I had to laugh, a couple of them put together and brought her a bed jacket as a gift. She went berserk. "Do they think I'm old or something" was her argument!

MARCH!

Abby, Alison, Ella and Danz in the City Centre

Winter is almost over. I'm so glad. It hasn't even been cold or wet that much but I need the sun. Heidi brought in a huge wasp last night. It was the biggest I've seen. Obviously survived the winter.
I'm on holiday this week. Much better than the last one where I was ill the entire time. Springs lovely sister and her daughter Ella came to stay for some of last week. She's loads of fun. Ella is going to be a bridesmaid with the girls and his other niece Victoria whose also very pretty. I booked the wedding for June 21st 2008 at Bath registry office and we're having pagan hand fasting ceremony at the train station in the afternoon.
Spring's been unwell with flu.... he's been so poorly.We did manage to go see the NME tour though last Tuesday. The Automatic, The View, The Horrors and the fabulous Mumm-Ra.
Check out tracks and tracks for the review sometime.
I'm OK. I like holidays but don't. The lack of my normal routine disrupts me... I'm weird. I'm also having nightmares most nights about the impending move from my hospital to another. I applied for a new job in Out Patients. Hope I get it.
I guess my blood results aren't normal either. I had a recall to the doctors to double check them but the most frustrating thing is that I have no idea why and want to know the figures.... Plus the next available appointment to see my GP to discuss it is in 4 weeks... the end of March... crazy.

O la la

Josselin Castle


We're going to france. We booked it, all sorted. A Gite (sort of villa)

Well furnished modern detached 3 storey property with light spacious rooms and beautiful views. In a country hamlet, 500m from the Nantes Brest canal (lovely walks) and a short drive from Josselin. Well equipped fitted kitchen (m/wave, d/washer, w/machine). Large comfortable lounge/dining room with tv (English channels), video & dvd. 1st floor has bath/shower/wc,2nd wc & 2 bedrms - 1 dble, 1 twin. 2nd floor has 2 further bedrms (1 dble,sgle) and shower/wc. Travel cot, high chair, stairgate. Electric heating. Private parking . Split level rear garden with grass, terrace/patio, furniture & bbq. Private Pool: 7.2m x 3.6m and 1.5m deep, with safety cover. Open 1/6 - 30/9, for sole use of clients.

The famous 11thC château at Josselin is only a short drive away and this lovely old town also has a doll museum, castle ramparts & some good restaurants, crêperies and cafés. The Lac au Duc in Ploërmel (10k) has a man made beach with watersports and some traditional Breton festivals are held in the local area each summer. Canoeing/kayaking 1.5k, go-karting 4k.

Ferry from Portsmouth to Caen.We're all going... even Abby. I'm so excited. Have to brush up on the French....
"Je suis en rock star"

tale of a ring

Spring wanted a ring... a commitment ring. We decided it should be white gold like mine. Plain.... or maybe Celtic... just not like the horrible men's signet rings everyone sells. So we headed to Glastonbury to buy one.
Glastonbury was wet. Full of strange old people in carpet coats and beards with nests in them. But no rings. We searched everywhere. Meanwhile I discovered I'd taken out too much money from the bank and had a direct debit going out the day after...so we set off to find a bank in Wells to pay some money in.
Wells had a few jewellers. We tried them all. We looked at every single tray of men's rings. And tbh most of them were hideous.
I only really had 50 quid to spend. Some of those monstrosities were 400 or more. We gave up. We walked dejectedly back to the car park. We walked past the very last shop. It was a girlie crystal shop with aromatherapy stuff and crystals. In the window was one revolving stand made of glass and as it spun I spotted a single plain ring. The tiny label said white gold 75 pounds.
Hmm, I thought. What's the chance it will be his size. I went in... the ring was a one off. One ring one size. The girl got it out. It looked tiny. But he tried it on and it fitted perfectly. Unbelievable. Then I went to pay and they said it was a one off 30% off day.It cost me 51 pounds.
Can you believe it? The right size, gold, price?
Believe in fate? Or maybe a little pagan magic?
I do.

Heidi

I have never seen such an enormous tail on a kitten.

mark 2

The single man waits for the world to end............. so we decide to investigate Edinburgh's paranormal.

Bored and cold we decided to DO something. A trip underneath Edinburgh to the vaults where once the poor lived in squalor and disease and darkness.


I was interested in the history of the place but the polish tour rep (of about 18) dressed in a Slytherin outfit was more interested in trying to scare us into believing the place was haunted. Most haunted filmed there last year and there was "lots of paranormal activity" yeah right.
This vault house a coven of witches who used the place for rituals. They used to use a vault further into the caves but the ghost who lives there trashed the place several times.


I pointed out that pagan's don't believe in death or ghosts. That threw her.

This is a pagan circle made by the head of the witches coven. He made it because inside the circle most evil area. Have they never watched charmed? The circle's INSIDE is the protected place not the outside.

The caves were damp and smelly but as for atmospheric? Lot of crap. The rep kept switching off her torch so we were in darkness to 'add' to the experience. Silly bitch.

And after that bunch of nonsense we ended the day with a Scottish high tea, cream cakes and sandwiches. On the way back the plane was delayed a bit...typical easy jet I guess. I was glad to be home though. If I go to Scotland again it won't be Edinburgh.

edinburgh

The Royal Mile..... miles of Scotland shops

Even tartan boots.

So..... what a weekend. A very cold Edinburgh. My first visit to Scotland...
So how was it?
A very early and I considered unnecessary start... surely we could have got a later flight? 4am start. We arrived at the airport at 5.45 to complete chaos. Queues snaking out of the terminal. Then a very stressful trip through security when the tannoy announced the flight boarded and we were about 100 people behind the front. Eventually we pushed through, then Paula announces Did she need that little orange boarding card as she'd lost it? Luckily a guy in the queue found it and handed it in... we got on the plane and it closed the doors and we left.... phew very stressful.
We arrived at 8am. I thought we were getting a taxi to the hotel but no... they'd changed their minds and we got a bus. It was cheaper and got us to the town in 25 minutes BUT as soon as we hit the town we got off. 3 stops too soon.So then I had to lug my rather heavy suitcase (you need as much for one night as 7) for 40 minutes up and down hills and steps to the hotel.
We got lost and at one point did a complete circle on ourselves. I was exhausted. I was very cold. I had a tee shirt and leather coat on. I'd expected a warm airport a warm taxi and warm hotel. Instead I got ice cold wind and walking. I was not amused.
We put our cases in the hotel and went for Scottish breakfast. The meal had haggis so I decided to eat Vegetarian. I'd had veggie haggis before and it was OK. I was relieved I did. Every one's food was really cold. At least I won't get food poisoning I thought cheerfully (you getting the impression I wasn't enjoying this?)
We decided to catch the tour bus next. I was cold and tired. OK, least it won't mean walking...... As we left the cafe Morag made a turn off to the right. I said there was a bus stop just up the road. No, apparently you can't just CATCH a bus. You have to go to the beginning of the route and buy the tix from the ticket office. I told her that was crap and we could buy the tickets from the bus driver.
They didn't believe me. So we walked 20 minutes to the bridge and the tour bus office. We walked in and Morag asked for ten tickets for the bus tour. The woman behind the counter looked at us as if we were stupid. "You buy them on the bus" She said.
I told you so sat on my lips.
On the bus they all ran up the stairs. I refused. I was fucking freezing. It was open air. No way was I going upstairs. I could feel them bristle at me. I was being a pain.I knew it. I couldn't help it. I'm me.
So we toured through Edinburgh. The pre recorded tape was rubbish. I didn't know any of the people they were talking about... so and so born here. So and so wrote his first poem here.
We stopped at a shopping centre. They all headed for retail therapy. Debenhams. Someone help me I thought. Then they went upstairs and the Royal Yacht Britannia. Now, I am NOT interested in some boat where the Queen once slept. It was a tenner to get in. I was not paying that. I am now careful with money ;)
So I sat outside.
After an hour I began to fall asleep. Then I realised I was pissing miserable. I needed to go to the hotel, warm up, Have a wee and a sleep. So I text them and took the next bus back.
Back at the hotel I checked into a lush room. It was cosy and warm and had a view of the sea.....The Sea? I'd always thought Edinburgh was mid country. Oh well I never did geography at school.
I was so much happier when I woke up. I realised how moany I'd been. They didn't get back till about 6pm. They'd done M&S and Next.... etc etc
Why do women need to shop in M&S in every town?
I'd wanted us to all spend the evening together, but because they were all tired it didn't happen. We ate in three different venues. I got a bit drunk. And we ended up in bed at 9pm with Hugh Grant on the TV. Asleep by ten. But what a lovely sleep.
A sleep to take me on to a very long and tiring Sunday.... which I'll write about tomorrow.....
Night everyone xxx

pass the sword

Back to the grindstone. I'm back to normal now though I have this awful cold sore stuffed on my face to add to my attraction (not).
Friday I got in work at 9am and was working till 2pm. I was on my own... no staff. Oh well, it happens but it was very busy. I had 18 patients through the unit. The problem was trying to get home. There was no one to take over so I had to try close. I finally managed it at ten to four and even then the wards moaned that I'd given them extra work. Bloody NHS.
Wulf has his eye operation tomorrow. He's taking it in his stride despite the fact his mother has told him a load of nonsense and horror tales about what might happen to him in hospital. That woman is so nasty and stupid. She'd fit right into celebrity BB.
I still can't use the pc. The dell is fecked. I called the technical line today and they're sending the restore discs so I can start again... maybe I'll be able to blog more then grrrrrrr......

lets go see Raoul

I'm not sure how long these pictures will last. Picasa STILL doesn't work with the new blogger. It lulls you into a false security thinking it's all OK then the next day they're all disappeared.
If they do that I'll sort it tomorrow.

This is the big 13th Birthday party on Saturday. It went OK. The disco was superb as you'd expect ;) the hall was a bit too huge for the amount of people there... oh well. The girls were just like girls. A bit of arguing and weeping and bitching. Ah those were the good old days of being 13/14 and female.

This s Wulf and Hannah. Wulf really likes Hannah and she's a really nice girl. Abby requested 'Love Shack' for the 2 of them on the party night. Makes me laugh.

Wulf and the lovely Shannie. My third daughter. I'd love to keep her.

And the terrible trio. So the celebrations are all over and she's 13. Thankfully. I can't cope with that all again.

The dell is broked completely. Won't even load in safe mode. So this PC is taken over by aliens (well OK Abby) that's why I'm not here much (not sodding allowed) Sob.......

l i v e r

I'm well pissed off. I've been looking forward to this week off for ages. A whole week away from vile work. No traffic or stress. So what happens? I get bloody ill. Viral crap thing that's had me in bed for a while. Now I'm left with this annoying cough and throat.
Tuesday was my appointment with the hepatologist about my strange liver. Apparently my liver isn't normal. It's bright and red and shiny?? and the blood tests aren't normal. Plus I'm a stone producer (no not the rolling ones). You don't need a gall bladder to produce gall stones and I produce them and the sludge randomly. So at any point I could get all ill again. Fecking great!
Poor Danz is poorly too. Her bikes pedal keeps falling off (makes one very poorly).... what's going on?
Her father was annoyed because on her birthday he expected to take her out for tea. When we had a family party here. My head is all mixed up. Silly dim man.
I went out for a drive today with Spring. Felt unwell but was determined not to stay indoors all sodding week. He took me to this pub where the average age of clientele was 86 and not a day younger. It was really funny, no music. No quiz machine just zimmer frames wheelchairs and easy access toilets. We won't be going back.
Best not drink anyways. My liver is more sensitive to alcohol. Probably why I get pissed with 1/2 glass of red wine.
Shame though.....

happy 13th

Danielle was 13 today. We got her a lovely new mountain bike. Spring and me went halves with it. He's so lovely. We had such a trial getting it home from the shop yesterday. Seems the Land rover isn't that roomy in the back and we had to sling the front wheel over the front so I had to sit on the back bench seat like some ready for action lifeguard. I swear he went over as many bumps as possible. Nearly did meself an injury!

We had lunch in pizza hut. We ate like kings! Wulf eats more than his father! Least he likes my cooking too.

Danz and her nearly step dad.

And the new bike. Her father paid for lights and mud guards to be put on it for her. It's a nice bike. I offered one to Abby for her birthday........ imagine how that suggestion was met!

thanks for fridays

Yay. I'm on holiday... well 6 days anyways. Work has been teeth grindingly horrible. We've lost a hefty proportion of the senior staff as they didn't want to go to the new place. The remaining staff are miserable and ground down to sand. Yesterday they weren't allowed a cup of tea as "this won't be allowed in the new place" Hey management. When you haven't got time to have a wee let alone a drink telling them they can't have tea isn't they way to boost morale and staff relations.
What kind of people get these managers posts?
It's Danielle's birthday Sunday. 13 years already. Where does time go?
I think I need some sun. I was desperate for the cooler weather last year with the heat. Now I want summer back. Our naturist resort has sold out and gone textile (clothes for you non nudist lot) so we shall be looking elsewhere.
Maybe we need to open one. Want a holiday? No clothes sun and disco's a plenty.

trio of trouble

Abby Danielle and Wulf at the Warwick Arms.

The place where the cutlery is magnetic.

And the men Gorgeous. Loves you Stephen. I'll make you very happy you know :)

he loves pink

Steve brought Heidi a scratching post. Pink, furry, fluffy hearts and girlie. But horror! Taylor has adopted it as his own. He lays with his paws around it, loving it. It must be heavily impregnated with catnip or something. Heidi is besides herself. She knows it's hers, so we get a lot of hissing and growling. Should have brought one for everyone I guess! Bloody cats.

The silly one up high.... Bailey is so fat.