A backdated post

Written on Saturday 28th February
I’m trying to write this having a mischievous cat poking around on the desk, wearing one of those plastic collars the vets make them wear. They went in to be spayed on Tuesday and of course you should see them grumble and complain about these bulky things around their necks! Oh dear.

Yesterday I had to attend the local passport office for the short interview you have to do as a first time applicant. All that way across London, just for 15 minutes ‘verifying’ who I was… But I should get the passport within 5-10 working days. Hehehehehe!

A month late, but I finally was told this week that I’ve completed my probation period – the review concluded that my performance had been ‘good’ – so that was the last hurdle to be cleared. As a consequence of that, and with Ally getting her new job sorted and the girls doing well at school and college, we’re all going out for lunch this afternoon, but Rob has to pay… Good job I was paid yesterday!

Another day driving a desk...

09:05
It dawned on me, laid in the bath last night, that I hadn't updated ye olde blog and yet I don't know what I want to say. This one might take all day to write so it might look disjointed and bitty...

09:48
Well that's me on top of things at this moment it time so I'll just take a minute to add a bit more. I've just been having a look at what my employee's handbook says and it requests that nothing be written in any blogs that may identify the company, criticise the company's employees or in any way bring the company's name into disrepute. Fair enough, given what has happened in the past with other companies and bloggers. Just means that, in effect I can't say much more than it's an independent fostering provider based in London. So you'll have to miss out on all those neat things that happen and the gossip, worries and concerns we have in the office...

Speaking personally, its not been a bad time recently at the homestead. Ally is starting her new job, on a part-time basis, on better money and more realistic hours as well. I should be confirmed son as having completed my probation at work satisfactorily and the cats (they're no longer kittens, see pic!) are now full of it.

Midnight, in the pink collar, loves a breakfast cuddle. As soon as I sit down with my porridge, she vaults onto my lap and stays there until I have to move to get ready to go out. She's not scared of spending longer either. Last night I sat down watching football on the TV, she jumped up onto my lap, and wriggled upwards until she was laid on my chest where she stayed for the whole of the first half (about 45 minutes), she knows how to claim her place! Lightning however, isn't so much of a cuddle-n-fuss cat but she'll come and ask for attention in her own way. She's the noisiest of the two and believe me she can really sound off if she really wants to! Her worst habit is attacking my toes through the duvet, when she can get into our bedroom. It tickles!

back I am...

After the snarg that was last month, I've managed to get back on line and this time I have a new picture to share with you all.

Doesn't it look pretty, the pristine snow on the delightful wheely bins....

Apparently this is the worst snow in London for 18 years or so. Means I can't get into work today. Hey-ho, its a poor day that doesn't give some joy in it. I'm not even sure about tomorrow either, so we shall just have to wait and see.

The worst day I have ever known.

I do not want to see the 5th January 2009 ever again. In between Ally going to work and my arriving home, the house was broken into. Items were taken to the sum of about £400 or so, including the laptop with all of last years photo's that Ally has taken. The perpetrators broke a back window and got in that way, then dropped the latch on the Yale lock on the front door so that no one could disturb them - although thanks goodness the mortice lock was on the door as well. We shall just have to wait and see what the insurance company say now.

No happy Rob for a while...

Happy New Year!!

Ahhh. Well I suppose at this point I should look back on 2009, and I won't disappoint...

Its been a good year, finally got moved into the house in West London in February, settled down and picked up a nice job in July, which pays well. Its been cold, just right for Christmas and the New Year.

You didn't expect a vast amount of detail did you??? :)

Its nearly Christmas...

Well where does the time go? Not long ago it was summer, or what passed for it this year, now there's only 17 days before the holiday arrives, and hasn't it flown by. Doesn't seem like less than 5 months ago I was starting a new job and now I'm the hub from which a lot radiates from in the office, just a month or so left of my probation and I'm still working to make sure its a formality. However, I'm not geting my hopes up until after the review takes place mid way through January....

Believe it or not I actually have most of the presents bought for Christmas, which isn't bad for being organised, haven't sent any cards out yet so I'm not that organised!! During the coming week perhaps. :)

For once, winter is turning out nice and cold, ok not all the time, but its still what you want in December. Frosty mornings, crisp sunny skies and the hopes of the possibility of a few snowflakes, which around here is someting to remember! We may get some, we may not... but the anticipation is something to be enjoyed. Mind you there's always a few people moaning about the cold, and wishing it was warmer. HELLLOOO! IS THERE ANYONE IN THERE? Its December, its supposed to be cold this time of year...

Its gone quiet, I'd better go and see that the two tiny terrible tyrants are up to, it usually something for which they can turn that innocent expression to what I catch them!

Cuteness alert!

Now I ask you, who would not describe these two little ones as cute....? Now 4 months old, they've got to the stage of growing out of their kitten features and now looking like small cats. Boisterous, confident and loving their food as well as ours... This is their look that says "We run this place and you will do as we say. Your bed? Is ours now! So we'll sleep here, and you can't argue about it!"

Looking back at the last month, not a lot has happened so there's not much to talk about, so I won't waste your time with boring crap.... Work is going well, the football is enjoyable and Christmas is coming. 'Nuff said!

What therapy....

You know, at the end of a stressful day, when the phone's been ringing non-stop, and people have been wanting this, that and the other, sometime we all need to 'smell the roses'.

I get that by going home watching my kittens run around and do the manic things two 3 month old little black scraps get up to, occasionally I join in and its that which makes me laugh the most, when they jump on each other, fight each other, play around with any old thing that is now their toy. The latest fun item is an old train ticket crumpled up. Watching them skating around, chasing this scrap of card across a laminated floor is a tonic in itself...

Ever such a lot!

Well there's a lot to mention this time, so grab a cuppa and get comfortable.

After my last entry I went to see my sister as you know, and had a really good time. It was good to spend time with little sis (and I know that will bug her!). We did nothing but talk and watch TV, talk a bit more and have a coffee, watch TV and eat dinner, that kind of day. Was really good.

Also during that time I spent time with some of the astronomy bunch that I used to hang around with before and it was good as well, even though the weather didn't always understand the necessity of clear skies that weekend!

To top it off, I harassed the girls at the old coffee shop, but in a nice way. All I had to pay for was my coffee, cos I kept getting food placed in front of me. I think they liked having me back.

All in all it was a wonderful weekend and I enjoyed it all, every part. Plus it has a bearing on a later entry! :)

Last weekend, well it wasn't a weekend as you would know it... Saturday was spend work training, attending a first aid course for the whole of the day. And being the responsible person as well. ARRGGHH! It was tempered by an amazing evening, where this happened. Smashing, amazing, mind-bogglingly astonishing times for Hull City!

Sunday saw me having a trip to Newcastle, to see how the company office there works, as its been established for 10 years, and had an 'outstanding' rating at the last official inspection, it was thought it would be good for me to pick up systems and routines there. Well if I couldn't there, then I couldn't anywhere. But I was glad to get home.

At this point I'd like to introduce our two additions to the house, two tiny tyrants. Meet Midnight and Lightning.... Its not the best of pictures, cos it was taken in a hurry last night on my mobile. We came to get two little bundles of fun cos A felt lonely when I was up in Hull visiting my sister, apparently the house was too empty when she was home. Aren't they just cute?

Lightning (on the right) is the more outgoing, she's always looking for something to chase, attack or eat, depending on her mood. Her little sister, Midnight looks like the runt of the litter and so is a bit smaller and more reserved, but she's catching up and eating all she can get. At just 10 weeks old, they're just right for a new home, and after just one week, they think they own the place, plus they know who's the soft touch, and it isn't A!

Expect more cute pix over the next few weeks, months and so on, of our little adorable bundles...

Another weekend...

Doesn't seem like 7 days since the start of the last one, but yep, here it comes again.

And it's back to the football, toodling off to watch Hampton & Richmond in the Conference South. I enjoy last week's match so much, I'm becoming a bit of a fan. Of course, that's not to say I'm giving up on the mighty Tigers, I just can't get to their games, whereas I can for H&R. It's worth the £10 admittance fee against 3 or 4 times that for their professional cousins...

Today has seen another in the series of bus drivers strikes . Thankfully it's not all of the buses, just a couple of companies, so I could still get to work, although I had to take the train for the last part. I still managed to observe poor uninformed souls wondering where their regular bus had got to! I mean, it's been all over the local tv, radio, some sections of the newspapers and on the news websites as well. How do people go around not taking any notice of what's happening around them??

Next weekend, I'm off on a jaunt by myself, as I'm going to see my sister before she's disappears off elsewhere for about 18 months, work you know. As well as spending much of the weekend with her, I shall be revisiting a few old haunts, so if you're reading this in Hull, be careful! The weekend after that will see me travelling to Newcastle on the Sunday, to spend the Monday observing one of the company's more established branches, what they do and so on. I think I'm enjoying all this...