End of May - and sun. Finally!

 

medikeeper.com

Pretty much how everyone in the UK is feeling right about now, I think! May has been absolutely sodden: wind, rain, chilly weather. The heating has only just been turned down/off, and this weekend we are finally, FINALLY, getting sunshine and proper warm temperatures. Hooray! I opened all my windows early this morning so the place will have a lovely airing out.

And, I'm off from today through Tuesday. I certainly timed that well, I have to say. I'm SO ready for a break and having some lovely weather to look forward to definitely helps.

I don't have any particularly grand plans, although I've made a to-do list to clear up a few things that I put off during the week: a proper clean and tidy of the place being at the top of the list. I'll do this in stages over the next six days, but it'll feel good to finally get the windows done, the floors swept and vacuumed, the window sills wiped, cupboards cleaned, etc. I've got a colleague stopping by for tea and a walk later this afternoon, which will be nice, and am visiting with my cousin on Tuesday morning. There's a garden centre in her village so I'll pick up what I need to do some repotting. My poor plants are desperate for more breathing room; I'm years overdue for this, and it makes sense to do it while I've got the time and motivation. If another couple of plants happen to find their way into my basket, well, that's not something I can fight...

I had my review on Monday afternoon. I always get nervous with these and of course, it's never bad (well, not so far!). Basically, I had an opportunity to vent (per last post) but opted to essentially say 'it's a work in progress', which, let's be honest, it is. There is always adjustment with new people starting and who would have thought to plan for working/hiring around a pandemic? It's just what it is, really. But, as I also said, it's not up to me to say whether or not T is happy in her job, or if it's what was expected, etc. That's up to her at her annual review.

I also had a bit of a moan about the new surveyor (which, I think, they're mostly already aware of, too). It's mostly frustration that someone who is supposed to be a professional and have experience of this sort of thing has to be constantly chased and eats up a lot of admin time because of it. I used the words 'I'm not his wife or his mom'... ha ha! It just popped out, but it feels a bit like that. Stuff disappearing into a vortex and chasing, chasing, chasing to get it back. It's exhausting and annoying.

Anyhow. It's a good thing I was sitting down because they surprised me with not only a pretty stonking raise (a hair over 10%) but also a £1,000 'bonus'! Holy cow!! Basically, it's to say 'thank you, sorry we're late with this, and we're very grateful you've stayed.' Wow. Totally unexpected, and I'm very, very pleased I can tell you. Of course, now I'm rolling all kinds of things around in my head with what I can do with my bonus when it should be a no-brainer: throw it on my debt! I only moan about it all the time. I'm taking a bit of it (say, £200) for me. I really want a massage, some new (thrift shop) duds, potting soil and pots, and maybe new shoes for walking to work. I'm going to sit on most of it for a bit and figure out the best place to put it. I can wipe out a credit card balance with it BUT will that save me the most in the long run, you know? Anyway. I don't want to rush into anything and will give myself some time to plot out a couple of options.

My new, slightly higher paycheque will help too, as I can raise my monthly payments on everything to get on top of things faster. What a great surprise that was!

I got out for a walk with my friend last Sunday - at last! - albeit a short one. We had a two-three hour window of reasonably clear weather, so we took a chance. We took a turn around the reserve, which is about two miles, and took us just under an hour. We hadn't planned on a proper hike, it was to catch up and clear our heads more than anything. It was great to finally see her. It meant, though, that I missed my writing group, which had moved from Saturday, so that was a shame. Our next walk (with three of us) is scheduled for 6 June and will be a longer one around the area, and I'm looking forward to it.

I confirmed my week's holiday in mid-July too, so hopefully that will take in a visit with my sister in Devon. Otherwise, a week off is a week off! I took that week purposely as my boss has taken that week off and it means that it won't be quite so manic at work. It just made sense. So, that's something else to look forward to. :)

Otherwise, I finally finished my Intro to Forensic Science course. Not entirely sure it was relevant to what I wanted, although it was pretty interesting and gives me an idea of some basic things to keep in mind when setting up a crime scene. I've not delved into the other three again (yet), but have plans to do so this weekend as well.

Anyway, that's more or less it from me again. Hope you are well and safe out there!

Mid-May update (and a bit of a moan)

 

elevate-church.co.uk

Mid-May already! Is it just me or is the passing of the year speeding up? I suppose it doesn't help that we're still so busy at work that I've done overtime the past two weekends (not as much as last month, but still!) and many of our survey appointments are teetering dangerously close to JULY now. We've also had to put a hold - twice in two weeks - on receiving any new work, outside of private jobs, from panel managers as my colleague couldn't keep up with booking the appointments! We're always looking ahead, it seems.

Anyway, it's good for business and the push is on now, as the stamp duty for properties up to £500k comes to an end at the end of June and everyone needs their surveys 'today'. We've had a number of cancellations because people want/need it completed faster than we can do it. We can always fill the space but it's a larger number than normal, simply because of the pressure of the market. The next relief falls to properties up to £250k, through September. There'll be a lot of flats, I imagine. After that, furlough comes to an end, stamp duty comes to an end, and I think the work will become more manageable.

I have my work review on 24 May. I'm going to ask if I can adjust my working hours a bit from 9:00-5:30 to 8:30-5:00. I've been getting there for 8:00 since February, so it's not a big stretch. I feel that, as one of the office 'elders', I should be allowed some consideration, particularly as there are now two of us who work until 5:30.

Our office manager (P) is back in the office two days a week now but is retiring in September. We've hired someone to take her place (H), but it's a bit complicated as H is off to the US to see her son in June for several months. H is coming in a couple of times a week to train with P until she leaves, then once H is back, she'll be coming in more regularly until P leaves for good. So many changes!

Adjustment is ongoing with my colleague (T). Things have been better, but there are still questions (why this/that/the other, etc.) and there was a discussion the other day with the accountant about her role and admin generally. In a company with 500 employees, it's going to entail different things than in a company with less than 10, just like it's going to entail different things in every single office you work in. A lot of what you do depends on how the office runs, their guidelines, policies and procedures, so you have to be flexible and be prepared to work differently than you have previously. Adapt to your environment, not the other way around. 'Administrator' in our office encompasses a grey area - it's both reasonably specific and whatever is asked of you, really, and with only three of us, surely it means helping each other where you're able and pitching in to get stuff done, rather than moaning about it? Part of me admires T for setting strong boundaries and being confident enough to do so, but at the same time, I'm getting incrementally more work because she keeps questioning how is one person expected to do 'so much' and then little suggestions are made that suddenly add to my workload and make it easier to do hers. How P doesn't understand how busy she is. 😒 She doesn't know that I've taken on doing part of her job already. I'm not bothered by it, as it actually helps me get organised for the day. But as and when I'm on holiday for any length of time once P leaves, there's going to be some hard, sharp learning curves.

I don't have any more time in my day than she does, and I'm the one who's been doing overtime so that we can stay on top of the typing (perfectly aware this is my choice). P is typing even on her days off, so not feeling any sympathy.

The problem stems, I think, from the fact that she says she didn't get a job description. I'm not sure I got one either if I'm honest (don't actually remember). Also, when she was trained, she wasn't told about all the stuff that she's (apparently) supposed to do, nor, she says, was she told about it all in the interview. I don't know. There was supposed to be a job description written up, but it didn't get done (no surprise). And that's her area of questions. She feels she's being taken advantage of. But if there are questions/concerns/etc., about what she believes/feels she was hired to do, I'm not the right person to speak with. She needs to discuss her concerns with the people who hired her - the MDs. Certainly, Mrs MD will have no qualms about reviewing the interview with her and what was said during it.

We're unprecedentedly busy. But, it will slow down and be easier to manage. When it was mentioned that it's been so quiet in the past that there have been days when no work at all came in, there was a moan about that. Apparently, there's no win!

The accountant, after the administrator discussion, regretted engaging. 'If she doesn't like it, she can find another job,' she muttered. This from a straight-talking Northerner!

Yikes! Obviously a much-needed vent. Sorry!!

On a lighter note, I enjoyed the Welsh Crime Festival very much. So much, in fact, that I'd like to go next year. Aberystwyth is a town I've wanted to visit since Hinterland (a point noted in the opening ad), so I think the opportunity to visit/attend the 2022 Festival and see the town is something I need to plan for. I've already had a brief, post-festival chat with my sister about it so we'll see where it goes. Five days in Wales would be lovely and something to really look forward to (assuming it doesn't rain. Ha ha!).

Along with my Intro to Forensic Science course, I registered for four others: BBC Good Food 'Learn How to Bake', Forensic Psychology (witness interviewing, etc.), Start Writing Fiction and a Mindfulness course which starts at the end of May. Phew! Feeling like I may have taken on a bit too much, seeing as I've already fallen behind in the Intro to Forensic Science course. Oh, well. I've got this weekend to dip into it and try to get caught up. I'm not sure it's all relevant, but it IS interesting and will help me to be able to paint a slightly more realistic forensic picture in my book - I hope!

The BBC baking course is like a mini-Bake Off. It's pretty basic, but you learn about baking processes, ingredients, tools, etc., i.e., salted v. unsalted butter, baking soda v. bicarbonate of soda, different baking tins, the process of baking powder v baking soda on a cake, etc. Good stuff! A Victoria sponge was the first item we made (mine was reasonably successful). We're also learning to make bread, brownies, shortcrust pastry and meringues. Yum!

I haven't yet started the writing course or the Forensic Psychology course, but need to start making some inroads before they become inaccessible (I don't really want to pay to continue access). Anyway, one lesson at a time and I will do what I can.

Tomorrow I'm supposed to be going on a walk with a friend, but the weather for the weekend is rain. It's supposed to have been raining all week, but we never got the forecast weather. We're forecase the same all next week. It's not especially nice to walk in the rain, but if it's just around the reserve it might not be too bad. All just a big 'wait and see'.

I took a bit of holiday around the bank holiday on 31 May and I'm hoping to see my cousin and Roomie E. Loose plans at this point. It will be nice to catch up. Hoping the weather will be nicer as well so we can get outside.

I've also pencilled a week off in July to visit with my sister. I suggested some time down there and then she can come here for a few days. She's got a housesit booked for July so is waiting to confirm dates, but I'm reasonably flexible. Will just be nice to have a good length of time off. Plus, I need to get the car out for a good, proper run (three hours on a dual carriageway should do it) and collect some things of mine that she has - my bike and my camp bed (which she'll need for her stay here). She's also got a set of dishes that she's giving me, so it's a trip I needed to do anyway.

Hospitality reopens on Monday - hotels, B&Bs, etc. - and indoor dining can begin again. I think hugs are also officially allowed again too. Hooray!

I was asked if I was able to start volunteering again at the coffee shop. I think it's been almost two years since I gave it up 'temporarily', but I had said that I would start again eventually. I don't have the 'excuse' of the shop anymore (I stepped back because it was getting to be too much to do both in one day)  but I always enjoyed it when I was there. My short answer was 'yes', but only once I've had both my jabs - second due 12 June - and that because our writing group is currently bi-weekly, I would have to send some available dates (Saturdays). That seems to be fine, so I will send available dates starting in July. I like to work up to these things! Ha ha!

Still rolling the thought of erasing/halving my debt around in my head. It's pride that's keeping me from making the decision to take that first step. It's hard to admit you're struggling and need help, especially financially. I keep rolling it around in my head and thinking I can manage - just 11 more months until I can cash out my RSP in Canada, but then I realise that we're only halfway through this month and despite a bigger paycheque last month, I only have £30 left for groceries for the next two weeks. The rest is earmarked for debt. I'm hoping to see my accountant colleague for tea and a walk around the reserve while I'm off at the end of May. She's eminently sensible and always has good advice about stuff. I have mentioned it to her, and how I'm struggling, and she said it's definitely something I should do. I just need to decide...

Anyhow. That's it for me this go round. I hope you're all well and safe and having a great weekend!

(Nearly) spring update

 

elliswhittam.com

Mid-April (already), the weather is glorious, if still on the cool side, and it's been a very busy week and a half.

After my extra-long Easter weekend, I did some overtime last weekend. I've always said that I'm willing to do it, so I was happy to finally get some - it's just that I'm no longer the age where my body is so glad of it! Ha ha! It doesn't come on offer very often - this is, in fact, only my second time doing it in five years - and I put in 16.5 hours! We were falling behind on our report typing so I hammered out six or seven reports, including one that took me about 4.5 hours to type (house worth £££££££££££££££££££ in London). I got a few other bits & pieces sorted out as well, so it was well worth it. Feeling less stressed now, although I'm POOPED! Friday couldn't come quick enough and it felt like three days in one with all that was happening. What a very weird day it was.

It means, though, that I've got a chunk of overtime pay coming to me at the end of the month, which I'm pleased about, and I'll put a little extra towards my debt. I'm not feeling quite as pressured about it all at the moment for some reason. Stressing about it doesn't help it get paid any faster and just makes things much grimmer than they are. Slow and steady is the only way I can do it, although I *am* doing some research into ways of writing it off or at least reducing payments. There are options out there, I'm just torn about it all as it would ruin a credit rating I've worked really hard for. And, as it's all my own fault, I feel a sense of responsibility to get it sorted the same way. You know? It's something I've been rolling around in my mind for a long time - have even gone to see someone already about it, and is something I keep coming back to. The psychic advised (I asked specifically about money) to take an option of writing some off if given the opportunity, so that lined up nicely. She said - which makes a lot of sense - that the Government is going to have to do something because once furlough ends in September, there will be a LOT of people who have incurred incredible debt who are going to need help with it. That much collective debt can seriously damage a country's economy, so they'll have to offer something.

Anyhow. I added up my debt the other day and was surprised, and rather pleased, to see it wasn't as much as I thought, which is good, although it's still more than I'd like. The slow and steady approach is good, it's just...slow.

To that end, I have also chased a review at work. I wasn't going to be narky about it this year simply because last year was so weird, but because things have changed at work I feel I need one (and deserve one), so I asked. No set date, just when there's time. So, that's something at least.

I signed up for a free online forensic course through the University of Strathclyde. I've done a genealogy course through them as well, which was excellent. I thought this might help with my writing. If I can figure out HOW a crime is solved via forensics (obviously, the course is basic and we don't get the magic of the background scientific work to work with), then perhaps I can build a crime working with those aspects. It's a six-week course, released one week at a time. Last week, week one, was the foundations of the course, what we could expect and reviewing a crime scene that is the basis for the course. We'll be building on that as we go, taking each part of the process bit by bit to see how it all works together. It's so interesting! Week Two is on my to do list for this weekend.

I've also registered for about a million talks at the Welsh Crime Festival. The first official one is planned for next year in Aberystwyth, but they've gone online this year as a precursor to that. Lots of discussions about writing and ideas and finding your voice, etc. Fantastic - and entirely free. So, honestly, have signed up for most of the talks (I think 15 out of 18 - and I might just go back and join the rest!). My evenings from 22 April are going to be busy! :)

I was awake early (not unusually) this morning and by 8:00 had already done my laundry and had a cheesecake in the oven! Today is a beautiful day, but I really just need to spend some time here and get some rest and a few things done around the flat. Tomorrow is more of the same, weather-wise, and I'm going to take myself for a nice walk at the reserve. I'll cobble together a lunch and take myself out for a couple of hours.

All our 'non-essential' stuff re-opened on Monday and it's been like kids in a candy store. Absolute madness. Not necessarily a bad thing, but nothing will really change for me. The holiday let portion of the B&B is back open and already busy, pubs, bars, restaurants, charity shops, hairdressers and barbers, etc. I'm glad for them, this last lockdown was a tough one - felt like it lasted forever. 

Here's our current guide:

Business and activities

Step 2, which will be no earlier than 12 April, will see the opening of non-essential retail; personal care premises such as hairdressers and nail salons; and public buildings, including libraries and community centres. Indoor leisure facilities such as gyms will also reopen (but only for use by people on their own or in household groups); as will most outdoor attractions and settings including outdoor hospitality venues, zoos, theme parks, and drive-in cinemas. Self-contained accommodation such as campsites and holiday lets, where indoor facilities are not shared with other households, can also reopen.

Hospitality venues will be allowed to serve people outdoors at Step 2 and there will be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcoholic drinks and no curfew, although customers must order, eat and drink while seated (‘table service’). Wider social contact rules will apply in all these settings to prevent indoor mixing between different households.

Events

While funerals can continue with up to 30 mourners, the number of people able to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events such as wakes will rise to 15.

Next step is 17 May.

And then, assuming all goes well, we're back to 'full normal' from 12 June. My colleague says she's pretty sure we'll be back in lockdown again come autumn, and I agree, but at least we can maybe have a good summer. Optimistic, or what? Ha ha!

Really, the Government is damned if they do, damned if they don't. I'm marginally more optimistic with this new 'slow release' plan, but I still maintain that shops and pubs and restaurants and every place where people gather in crowds can put every single possible measure - and more! - in place to make/keep their staff and patrons as safe as possible, but if people don't give a shit and don't want to follow the rules, then THAT IS THE REASON WE'RE STILL HERE. Businesses can only do so much. Pubs were already in trouble, and this past year has been particularly devastating to the industry. There are plenty that simply won't have been able to make it, along with many, many other businesses - some of our big High Street names, a few of which were in trouble prior to the pandemic, have had this underscore their issues and they've closed their doors or some of their shops. I'm not surprised that pubs and hairdressers were full to bursting on Monday. It's actually quite nice to see life back to relatively normal, although we still have a little way to go yet. I've been far from perfect, but I'm looking forward to getting back into the charity shops for sure.

It's affected me differently because I've only really had one lockdown - I've been working since last July and have effectively missed the last two. I've been 'back to normal' a lot longer than most, so nothing will change for me, even with more things reopening. My colleague is astounded by that - she's already got plans to eat out, go places, see people, do stuff, get her hair done, get her nails done, etc. There are almost 25 years between us, however, so our normals are already very different! I'm very much a homebody generally, and only eat out when I meet up with my cousin or something. I'm looking forward to at last getting together with friends for our monthly walks, though.

Anyhow. Here we still are to a degree. But at least the weather is good again - that, I'm sure, is why the last lockdown felt harder, dreary winter weather - and we can get outside more easily. People are feeling better too now, with things open and the sun out, even if it is still relatively cool. That helps a lot.

I hope you're all as well as you can be under our various circumstances and can have a restful and enjoyable weekend. x

Easter laziness

HAPPY EASTER!

It's been, so far, an excellent weekend for the most part. I had a somewhat stressful day on Thursday, worrying about the chat the office manager was aiming to have with my colleague and texted her to find out how things went. She came back to me later to say not to worry because it hadn't been a day especially conducive to chats. Phew! I imagine she'll try to have a chat tomorrow instead when there isn't anyone else in the office. Hopefully, all will go well.

The weather was glorious so I sat in the reserve reading for a couple of hours until my friend came to collect the lamb and a couple of other things necessary for yesterday's meal. He was on his way home from 10 days working in Essex and detoured here for an hour. It was good to catch up as I hadn't seen him since Christmas.

On Friday, my birthday, the weather again was beautiful and while I wanted to be outside, I didn't want to walk, so I took myself to the closest shop, bought a picnic of sorts, and headed back to the reserve where I spent most of the afternoon reading. I initially couldn't figure out why it was so busy (comparatively), then of course remembered that it was a holiday, the good weather driving folks outside now that restrictions have eased a little. I didn't have to go far to find a bench to sit on. There's one not far inside the reserve, a little way down the 'wrong way' path (the reserve is open and has set up a system of one way routes). I can set myself up and hardly see anyone. There were loads of birds around, too, so it was the perfect relaxing spot.

Saturday I met up with my cousin for a walk and a birthday lunch. We took her dog, Bonnie, off to the forest and spent over an hour getting caught up and getting in a decent walk at the same time. Cows and ponies aplenty, as well as others out getting some proper exercise. The weather was cooler than I had anticipated, so it was good to get back to her place although her boiler isn't working so it wasn't a whole lot warmer there either! Ha ha! She'd made a Moroccan Tagine which was delicious. I've never had one before, but it's super easy to make and is something I need to add to my recipe cache for cooler weather.

I finally posted a parcel to my sister too, that I've had hanging around for a few months (because I can't be bothered to go to the post office...). I posted it at the village post office near my cousin's house. It's nothing too exciting - a blanket and my knitting bag/bits that I don't use and are just taking up space here. My sister said she'd take them off my hands, so it was just getting around to posting them that was delaying everything. It's good to have done it and have three fewer things cluttering my flat.

I'm probably not the only person who's been decluttering during lockdown. I imagine, much like last time, the charity shops will be overrun with things. Some of them had requested appointments be made for donation offerings and I imagine it will be much the same this time. I know I've got a box and a couple of bags of things to get rid of. Not sure what they're doing about books - many were not taking these - so will have to see. Maybe there are some options online to get rid of them. It's part of the reason I don't buy books anymore and just read on my Kindle. Some libraries aren't taking donations anymore, and the thrift shops are regularly overwhelmed with them. Anyway, only a few more days until re-opening and I'll get an appointment if I need to. I'm getting desperate for some new duds, too, so keen to have the thrift shops open again!

Yesterday's lunch was excellent. There was aperitifs, lamb, salmon (for me), a beef broth with homemade tortellini, salad, lentils, roast potatoes, cabbage, wine and lemon mousse cake. The five of us did very well to get through a sizeable portion of it over about three hours. I had my usual 'inch' of wine to start and that was it for me. It was a dry white wine, quite lovely, and now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not actually sure I even finished it! Ha ha! I remember putting the glass on the window sill behind me and then simply forgot about it.

The cake I made was a hit - a lemon mousse cake. I've never made one before, never mind just a mousse, and wasn't sure it would work, as when I took it out of the tin in the morning it started to 'melt' a little so had to put it back in (!). It went into my friend's freezer for an hour or so when I arrived for the meal, then into the fridge for a couple of hours after that. That seems to have worked as, while it was a bit softer than it was supposed to be (a volume issue, I think), it hung together well and was quite delicious, although sweeter than I was anticipating. One of the guests had two pieces and is apparently still talking about it this morning, so I'm pleased it worked out so well. Fortunately, there are some leftovers in my friend's fridge so he's welcome to them.

The warm temperatures of last week have halved today, and it's cool and cloudy. I'm not sure what I'm feeling like doing and how motivated I am to do it.  Reading, probably, now that I'm fully re-engaged with it. I finished reading a book this morning - the Dales Detective Series, by Julia Chapman, if you're interested - and now have to wait another year for the next one. It's one of my favourite series and the biggest annoyance is that it takes so long to write! Ha ha! Characters, story, plot, and multiple threads of intrigue, mystery, romance and glorious descriptions of the Yorkshire Dales.

I've whizzed through a decent number of books in the past couple of weeks (you can see them there on the right-->), some good, some not as good. I'm trying to read more non-fiction, but I don't always get it right. Obviously reading is subjective (writing is an art form after all), and not everyone will agree with my assessments, but I still have a long list of reviews to get done this year. I'm not one, however, to keep reading something that I'm not enjoying - life is too short for that. I used to, but now it's simply not worth it, not when there's so much that I really want to read. I've sadly given up on about four books already this year, while others have surprised me.

I hope you're all enjoying your long weekend as much as you can.

Taking a little break... :)

 

Happy April all! No, not taking a(nother) break from blogging; I have a few days off work. Obviously, part of it is the Easter holidays, but I've got today and Tuesday off around that as well. I'm really feeling I need a good rest, and this worked out well, seeing as tomorrow is my birthday anyway. The holiday gods organised that nicely! :)

I've not been sleeping especially well the past couple of weeks, and work has been a bit of a roller coaster so I've got very little motivation to do much of anything, although feel I need to be reasonably productive as there are still things I have to do. I'm going to see my cousin for a walk and a birthday lunch on Saturday, then have an Easter/birthday lunch on Sunday... and that's it! I need to do a grocery shop in there somewhere too as I'm making something for Sunday (thinking along the lines of a lemon mousse cake). There's going to be five of us. We're having an Italian Columba cake for dessert (hooray!), and there will be plenty of wine and food.

I've registered for a number of online writing retreats and festival discussions this month. There's a new Welsh Crime Writers' Festival, and as this is their first year, and it's an unusual one, they're offering loads of talks and discussions online for FREE! So I registered for most of them the last week of April through to May 3. I've also registered for an online writing retreat via The Guardian's Masterclass offerings, 'Finding Your Voice', which is hosted by Kate Moss, Abi Dare, and Kishani Widyaratna. It was only £32 and sounds fantastic. I attended Sleurthfest two weeks ago - my first online conference of any kind - and got a lot of great information from it. They had an exceptionally scaled-back version of the annual conference, with only about seven talks compared to a number of normally about 40 talks, presentations, discussions, booths, etc., so for what it was, I enjoyed it. Some of it didn't apply - the marketing of your published book, for example - but I got a lot out of the editor/agent query letter and synopsis talk, as well as the Clues and Misdirection talk, which is why I originally signed up.

If I'm not actually writing, gathering information and ideas is still part of the process, so I'm pleased I'm at least making a more concerted effort around it. It's easy enough to sit and listen to someone talk, take notes and process. And there is always, always, something to learn, or that might give you that little spark of inspiration you need to get started again.

Work is beginning to get to me a bit. My new colleague is lovely, sweet and funny, but I'm not sure I have an emotional and empathetic/sympathetic well deep enough to continuously prop her up and calm her anxiety. Actually, scratch that: I know I don't. She came back on Tuesday from a couple of days off and was so upset to find emails and work to do she was crying (I cover her job while she's gone, but I focus on the priority stuff - getting jobs booked, etc. - and will leave some of the less urgent items for her. This is a carryover from my previous colleague). I got the impression that she seemed to think that because there were jobs waiting to be booked, I was apparently NOT doing her job. Never mind that on Friday I cleared up what she hadn't completed to that point, booked the jobs that came in on Friday and then cleared/changed/booked jobs on Monday. I couldn't get to everything, so I left what was left for her return. About 10 jobs?

I think it boiled down to a mixture of her assumptions that everything would be cleared and she'd start with a folder empty of jobs - I can do nothing about her personal email inbox - and me perhaps saying 'I cover your job' without being specific. I don't know. Anyway... I tried to explain things as best I could, then took about three hours to help clear stuff up, which took time away from things I needed to do...

Should I have helped? There are actually two answers.

Yes, because otherwise it wouldn't get done. She struggles to get all the jobs booked over the course of a week. She's painfully slow because she's so focussed on not making a mistake, they start to pile up, she gets stressed and frustrated, people start calling to chase booking dates, her anxiety increases and I have to soothe and support and then I help because otherwise it wouldn't get done...

And

No, because it's not my job. All this is taking time away from work I need to complete, leaves the office manager literally typing reports all day and taking time away from tasks she also needs to complete, leaves the accountant having to do filing that isn't her responsibility and taking time away from what she needs to do. Realistically, as the accountant says, let her get on with it and deal with the consequences.

To be fair, it is reasonably busy. People are anxious to get surveys booked with the clock winding down on the stamp duty holiday, which ends in June, and it can feel relentless. I understand that. Our surveyors are struggling to keep up, our booking dates are sitting at a minimum three weeks ahead, we have a new surveyor who's just started and finding his feet, and we're all feeling the pressure. It's not where we were six months ago - or even three months ago - but it can be pretty overwhelming. So, it's not that I don't have sympathy for her. I do, and we're still in a weird time where there's no full complement of staff in the office. The office manager is in today, though, and is going to have a chat with her about...stuff...and I hope everything (at least as much as possible) is sorted out. I commend her for not wanting to feel taken advantage of, nobody should feel that, but at the same time, she needs to recognise how it's affecting the rest of us. I think a lot of it goes back to the (lack of) training she had. If I or the office manager had been able to at least be there while it was happening, I think things might be a bit different. I have said this to her.

She has also had no previous experience with surveying and starting a new job is always a struggle for a little while. It's a very big learning curve, so I'm trying to be as supportive and helpful as I can.

Anyway. I'm complaining too much - I've never won an employee of the month prize, and know I have a tendency to slack off if given the opportunity. Perhaps this is payback. I'm just frustrated because I want her to succeed and be happy but right now it's very uncertain. She has her three-month review at the end of next week, so I guess we'll see how it goes. If she's unhappy, she needs to say so. If she's feeling taken advantage of, she needs to say so. Ultimately, I feel it's entirely her decision whether she stays or not.

I had a blog writing trial with the proofreading company which I thought might work into some part-time income but unfortunately wasn't successful. I was initially disappointed, as I thought it would have been a nice part-time gig, but after a little thought, I realised that I would have been quite resentful of the time needed to focus on it and that it wasn't quite my niche. So, I'm okay with that.

I had my first vaccine jab last week and it went very well. Quick and painless. I was very tired the next day, but otherwise, I've been fine apart from a tender arm. They were super efficient too, and the whole process took less than 10 minutes from arrival to departure.

My full bloodwork got done the week before that and my chat with the nephrologist the following Tuesday was very positive. Everything is right where it should be: cholesterol is spot on, all the numbers and whatever else they needed to see is excellent, so I'm very relieved. It means only an annual check to monitor things now, and she said to just keep doing what I'm doing (mind the salt!) as it was all looking good. I did tell her that I get quite fatigued and have taken to taking an OTC iron pill (14mg = 100% daily iron requirement) and she was fine with that. And yesterday I had a health check with my new surgery which, I didn't realise, was to do an intake to see what sort of health issues might need to be ascertained. Whoops! Apparently, because I'm already aware of specific issues and on it, it was a bit of a waste of time, although I now know my blood pressure (low) and they have some notes on my file. Hopefully, all the bloodwork information will arrive soon and they'll have all the information they need.

Otherwise, have polished off two more books and am most of the way through a third. Hoping to clear at least one or two more this weekend. The weather is slated to be warm, so maybe the best place to read will be the reserve. That would be a treat!

Have a safe and enjoyable Easter weekend!