A day out at IKEA

Today all three of us Development Assistants got a treat. We were sent to IKEA in Warrington to get some shelving for the Finance Department and some units for the Women's Project.

Due to the size of the stuff, we took our, much hated, horrible, white van, which fortunately seats three. Carol drove, on the motorway, for the second time in her life, and got really brave. She ventured into the middle lane and we all said she will be dashing up the motorway all the time now.

We had lunch in the restaurant and I introduced the girls to (supposedly) Swedish meatballs and salad. The meatballs were disappointing as they tasted of sausage meat and were quite yucky really. I was embarrased as I knew that they aren't suppose to taste like that.

Eventually, we did all our purchases for work and I bought a few little bargains for myself as well; a couple of tins of potpurri for 20p, a cookbook stand for 50p and some parcel wrap for 80p. We also came back armed with new catalogues.

On the way back we stopped at Freeport as Lisa needs a new coat, but she didn't find one she liked. However, I dropped on a bargain; there was a 1/2 hour half-price sale on, which included already reduced items. I bought some jeans that were reduced down to £3 for just £1.50. Incredible!!!

All in all, a great day had by us all. Now we got to look forward to putting all that shelving up..., never mind, can't have just the good, without the bad.

Hurrah, we have snow!

This morning we woke up to snow. Allbeit, just 2 mm instead of the 2cm that I'd hoped for but it's a step in the right direction. It carried on sleeting for the most of the morning 'til at least lunchtime, when it started raining

It's a memorable date: 23 February 2006 (Bill Cope's Birthday) the first snow of 2006 and hopefully not the last.

Where is the winter?

Wonder what is happening with the weather??? In Moscow it has been around -24 degrees, in America it has snowed in Virginia, but what is happening here? We still haven't had any snow this year yet, although we did have some frost at the beginning of the month.

Now have spring weather; the temperatures are around 8 - 12 degrees, sunny & bright. The nature is thinking it is spring, as today I have seen some flies and we have already had crocuses & daffodils come up as well as big furry balls on the pussy willow. None of this should happen for another 6 weeks yet.

Is shan't pack away the winter clothes yet, though, because there is still hope for some more winter weather yet. I had a look at the website for Falun and found it was fantastic. A real winter wonderland. They showed a photo taken in the dark but the town was lit up and everywhere was covered in snow. Beautiful! Maybe I ought to copy the picture for this year's Christmas cards?

It is lovely to drive home from work and it still light. Next month, when the hour goes back, it will be light until 8pm, I can't wait. It is lovely to drive home from work and it still light. Next month, when the hour goes back, it will be light until 8pm, I can't wait.

Update

This is just a short update on the various things that have been going on.

1. Mongo is now eating inside the cat box and has no problem with it, even if the door is shut. He has also started sleeping in his cot, which is a big step because he hated it at first. However, he is still very nervous about all noises and any sudden movements and especially people coming into the room.

2. My ear infection has now completely healed and I have no problems with them at the moment, we’ll see how long it lasts.

3. The Craftmatic didn’t sell in the end, mostly because there was another one for sale, which finished a few hours later, that one did sell for the amount that we wanted for ours, so it is a matter of getting it on at the right time. The sale cost nearly £5, so I am going to have to leave it now until next month.

4. Chris did manage to get Iconoclast on the road on Friday, just in time for his rally. It failed the MOT last Saturday on sprockets and chain, but he managed to get that fixed on Thursday and then re-took the MOT and all was OK. He went camping on Friday and, apparently, he slept well despite of the cold. It was around 0 degrees on Friday, but last night it was quite a lot warmer.

5. I have done all the shopping for my void and now I have the best bit left, putting it all together and make the flat look nice for the next tenant.

Voids are Exiting

This week I have been working on a void (vacant flat) that requires absolutely everything. That is really fun, because I could do a complete clearout, clean up and whilst it’s being decorated I can go shopping.

I need to buy all furniture, carpets, curtains, cushions, bedding, kitchen appliances, kitchen utensils, crockery, glasses, lamps and rugs. I love this part of the job and when I can get everything new it’s more fun than having to decide what to keep and what to replace.

When the decorators have finished, I will have the new carpets fitted and the furniture delivered. I can then start putting up curtain poles with curtains & nets, pictures, mirror, bathroom fittings and open all the boxes with bits and pieces.

I always iron the bedding and make everywhere look homely, then I take photos and after that I do a formal handover with the project whose flat it is. They can then show new tenants around whilst I move on to the next property. Fabulous!


Here is some piccies from a previous void.

Ear Infection

I have been home from work today. Have had some trouble with my ears for a while now, but last night it got a lot worse. I couldn't sleep much at all for the excruciating pain. Went to the doctors this morning and was told that it was indeed a bad bout of ear infection. She gave me a prescription for anti-biotics as well as a spray to use directly in the ear. I have had two of the capsules and one lot of spray and already they seem slightly better. I shall go back to work tomorrow.

Chris is getting his bike (Iconoclast) on the road this week-end ready for his camping weekend, first week in February. Apparently, he is going with Danny, Amo and some other lads. Camping in February is the last thing on my mind, so I am not going. Might go out for a drink with the girls or something, we’ll see.

I finally managed to put the Craftmatic bed on eBay and there is already one bid, five watches and 53 visits on it. Looks promising that it might actually go. It will be nice to sort out the conservatory for summer. We are thinking of getting a sofa bed instead, which would be far more useful. The piccie shows a style that we both like.

Progress or not???

Poor Mungo Jerrie, he has been quite traumatised in the past. He is like a nervous wreck. if someone touches him; he jumps a mile and sometimes when one walks in the room he runs away.

I think progress is going to be slow with him, and I do believe he is slightly calmer than he used to be a couple of weeks ago.

He is not yet going out, however, we are training him in anticipacion, by pushing him through the cat flap. It surprised me how easily he goes through and I wonder if he perhaps has used one in the past.

We have also introduced the cat box in to the room. At first we kept it open in two halves, so that he wouldn't recognise what it is and, yesterday, I put it together without the door. Mungo has walked right past it and doesn't appear to mind. Sadly, some time soon he will need to be put in it so that we can get him to the vets for his flea & worm treatments, but for the time being we are leaving him alone.

Mungo Jerrie

We have had a new addition to the family. Meet Mungo Jerrie (from Cats the Musical), a 3-6 year old, neutered male. His background is not known as he came to the rescue centre 3 months ago, very frightened and not liking people or other cats very much.

He was named Spit by his foster mum as he was always spitting and hissing and everyone. She gradually tamed him into the mellow softie as he is now. Unfortunately, about a month ago, he almost died. He somehow managed to contract cat flu and had to be drip fed every couple of hours. He now appears to be fully recovered.

His ordeal has not suppressed his appetite, though as he his a very big boy and does like his food a lot. He loves salmon in jelly but likes most foods almost as much.

He can be quite mardy at times and wanting to be fussed, yet suddenly become very grumpy and aggressive. I don’t know if that is something to do with his past, but I suppose we have to learn to live with it.

He is not particularly playful, however, he is immensely sweet & friendly and could quite happily sit on your lap all day long, as long as you don’t tickle his feet.

So far he has not been in the slightest bit interested in sleeping in Macavity’s cot but just wants to sleep with us in our bed. He is the smallest out of us but he takes up most of the room, by lying sideways or diagonally across the bed.

We are training him to use a harness so that we can take him camping in summer, just like we used to do with Macavity. However, this is going to be a slow task as at the moment he is terrified of the cat box and we will need him to go in and stay there happily for this to work. I shall keep you updated on this progress.

Office Move

Last Friday we finally moved office. This was a very complicated operation which involved all of the maintenance department and outside help as well. Surprisingly, it only took one day, mainly because we had been able to take a lot of stuff across prior to the day.

I got a bit frustrated as I had been given the responsibility to organise the move of the computers but it appeared that the IT company let me down. Two weeks prior I had booked them to arrive first thing in the morning, which to me means at nine. However, their representative didn't turn up until quarter to eleven; leaving all of us hanging around waiting as we couldn't move the desks until the computers are gone and me looking a mug.

Still, the move eventually went without any more hitches and by 5pm we were up and running again and almost tidy. All week, it has been a total luxury to have the office so close to the compound and us all being together in the same office without being cramped. We have settled in really quick.

Christmas shopping

I have finally got the Christmas shopping finished. It took almost all day but it's all done now, just the food and drink to get and something for Macavity.

It is just as well since I have been invited to a lot of parties and meals out so it will be an expensive time, and I will have to be extra careful with the money.

One of the things I wanted to buy was a ticket for Tessa to come and visit in the spring but I can't afford so it has to wait to another time, maybe next autumn or Christmas?

On wednesday Carol and I are going shopping at IKEA during work time. Our boss, Debbie, asked us to go get some shelves for the new office which we are finally moving to on Friday. We are really looking forward to it even though it means to drive "the white pig" which is our old transit van. Carol is hoping that our colleague, John, will lend us his van but Debbie doesn't think there is much chance of that. we'll see.

Lists, etc

Because, I am "in between voids" at the moment, I have finally managed to make a start on the list of items that we already have ... and need for Christmas. There is still more to do to get it finalised.....but, I'm working on it.

"In between voids" means that I have just finished doing up an empty property and I am waiting for my next one to become empty on Thursday. Of course, there is still plenty to do but I'm not quite as busy as I am when I'm doing up a property to a time schedule. I found out that in a couple of weeks I am having a large terraced house in void.

It involves first to go in an do an inspection; assessing what can be kept and what needs clearing out. Then I get the van and get shut of everything that is no good and clean out the whole property. It is then handed over to different contractors for decorating, electrical inspection, gas inspection, new carpets or carpet cleaning. In the meantime I order all the new furniture and white goods and then I go shopping. Usually I buy new curtains, nets kitchen equipment, bedding, towels, etc. then I put it all together and make the flat or house look nice, ready for the new tenant.

The last few days the weather has been quite cold and frosty, but today the infamous British fog was back again. It was quite unpleasant to drive home (that is assuming that driving in Stoke on Trent is ever pleasant anyway) particularly tonight, after it got dark.

First Frost

This morning I woke up and the car windows were all frosted over. Temperature was -4 first thing but went up to -2 by the time I drove to work.

Surprisingly, the traffic was no worse than usual, however, there was an accident somewhere, because I did see an ambulance with "twos & blues".

At work those wooden walkways we have around the office were all covered, in what looked like hail, but according to my colleague Gary, it was just salt that the caretaker had put down to stop slipping.

All day remained quite chilly and it was only 4 degrees when I drove home, so I think we can expect another frost tonight. Winter has arrived early this year!

Here's a picture from last Christmas...

My first blog is open

Had a play about and found this site, maybe it is something i could use?

What can I say...it's been an ordinary day in an ordinary week. I finished my void at work but have another one coming in on Monday.

Chris is working over the weekend but I may do some Christmas shopping, we'll see.

The piccy is taken from a boat in a bay on the western coast off Tenerife. I love the colours of the sea and how clear the water was so that you could see the bottom even though it was deep enough to allow a big boat to get close.

Sorry, if i'm not making any sense...I'm just playing about.