I don't like Mondays

Still in Bristol

Sunday, I was still in Bristol for the Christening. Gorgeous church with a lovely lady vicar who was very accommodating to the small horde of small children enjoying the proceedings. The gargoyle in the church was a bit scary though!

Journey back up the M4 wasn't quite as nice as the journey down - mostly because it rained quite a lot. Finally got home in the early evening.

Trip to Bristol

Despite listening to my SatNav and driving through London I made pretty good time down to Bristol. This creepy chap was one of a flock of ravens who shared my lunch with me. Said the raven, nevermore. The good thing was, once I left London behind the weather improved and it was quite a nice journey down. I had a little detour when the SatNav fell off the dashboard 20 miles before I had to leave the motorway and I had to stop stick it back on.

I saw this pretty little pub, which was on a road which took me ironically back to the same junction I'd left from (even though I thought I was heading south).


I stayed in a very nice Holiday Inn (after almost stopping at the wrong Holiday Inn very close by). I was most fascinated by the double hinged door on the bathroom which could bend all the way back and separate the toilet from the rest of the bathroom.

Skywatch Friday (45)

Sunset

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Strange places kittens sit (254)

Casper on top of the fish tank (not allowed due to kitten weight
transferring down and weakening the glass)

Tinker on top of the cooker (not allowed as my nearly-mother-in law
stores stuff up there to be out of kitten reach!)

Kittens at play

Regular readers will know that my kittens are infinitely resourceful. Here they have knocked a rug off the radiator over one of their play tunnels to make a den.

Philosophy (4)

After yesterday's post which was not very positive and my ongoing struggle with various MS symptoms this thought seemed appropriate.

Things at work aren't getting any easier. They haven't replaced the guy who left at the beginning of the year (and doesn't look like they're going to any time soon).

Staff numbers have been dropping ever since the recession began to batter the Construction Industry in late 2008. Workload doesn't decrease somehow - and everyone works long hours (or in my case takes work home).

With pay cut about a year ago and no raises or bonuses since 2008 morale is at an all time low.

Double dip recession? I never noticed it go away. You just have to take advice from a drinks coaster - just carry on.

Out and about in Woolwich

I don't much go to Woolwich. If I want the shops I usually go to Greenwich Shopping Park by Asdas. I was surprised to see the building site that used to be General Gordon Square. Let's face it - General Gordon Square always had an air of neglect hanging over it, so mostly improvement could only be for the better. 


The removal of the one way bus route round the Square though hasn't really helped anyone (except possibly the town planners) as the stops are now further away from where they are useful.

I was only in Woolwich for my contact lenses follow up - glad to hear that 1) my prescription hasn't changed and 2) my eyes are physically healthy. Whilst I was there I decided to see how my lungs are doing - in my foolish youth I used to smoke. I was delighted to find when I blew into the little tube my output was 105% (the average is apparently 80%) and my lungs are six years younger than me! I'm not sure how accurate this is, though, as a trained singer I know how to control my breath!

Idle paws

Some time ago our kitchen drawer broke (just a little) then the kittens (well Tinker) discovered that he could jump into the broken drawer.  This broke the drawer even more and he had a route to either sit in the not quite so broken drawer, or into the kitchen cupboard where he could help himself to packets of people food and things that go 'rustle' (very popular with our cats).

Then his partner in crime (yes, I suspect Casper on this one) has now  worked out how to open the bread-bin. Whilst I was out (for fifteen minutes!) this bread massacre took place in the kitchen.

A temporary solution of butterfly clips has been put in place to 'lock' the bread-bin. The worst thing is - whilst the croissants were popular they didn't even like the waffles.

Skywatch Friday (44)

One of the days it didn't rain this week

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Artistic fish

It is an established fact that my goldfish are quite clever. They've been at it again. They've carefully picked up pieces of the new gravel (which comes in two colours; pink or green) and arranged it on their castle. Clever and artistic!

Another kitten moment

My kittens are gorgeous but they can be little devils!

Cold snap

Particularly cold today. Time to revert to slippers in the office. Yes, it does amuse my colleagues to see me shuffle around in my pink fluffy slippers... but better that than freezing feet! As you can see I keep a pair of shoes handy too!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day. Time to express your love for your nearest and dearest (though you do it every day) - cards, chocolates and other gifts.

Being a Monday there is no romantic night out for us, just take-away in front of the TV and work tomorrow.

Kitten thoughts

If you could read Tinker's thoughts!

Busy days

Another not quiet end to the week. On Friday morning I gave Rich a lift to Woolwich - what with the new Council building springing up and the works to General Gordon Square it has changed a bit since I first passed through over a decade ago! This is a view of the new council building taken in my wing mirror! Lovely weather on Friday morning.

In the afternoon I had to go to the dental hygienist. My mouth always feels like it has had a good work out after that. I then had some time to waste before my doctor's appointment.


Only one thing for it. Go and buy essential food as our shopping delivery wasn't coming due to it being sent to a store 45 miles away due to a computer error. Superb. I stopped in a few other shops whilst I was down on the peninsula. Then off to the Doctor to renew my repeat prescription which had run out of refills... plus some cream for a nasty rash on my shoulders. Next stop pharmacy. Left the house at 2pm got home at 6pm. 

Today I was off with my Mum, Gran and Uncle to visit my cousin her partner and their gorgeous baby. We had a lovely time catching up and admiring the littlest member of our family. A beautiful almost springlike day as well.

I got home in time for the shopping delivery (a day late due to the computer glitch) which annoyed me beyond belief by failing to deliver Sunday breakfast and Saturday night beer. Off to the shops. Superb... tail end of Charlton home game football added to the fact that three quarters of the Borough seems to be suffering from roadworks at the moment. Sainsbury's for the second time in as many days. Excellent.

Skywatch Friday (43)

Misty sunrise over Blackheath

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Rainy days

Today has been a grey and miserable day. The only positive thing that can be said about it (for me) is that it is the end of the week.

Blog posts have been brief recently because we are short staffed at work. Youngest Lad left last summer so we have been without a junior for some time (that means we have to do our own filing, admin, etc.). Then, Young Lad left at the start of this year. Only Other Girl has gone on holiday... which means that there are not many hands to make light work.

Kitten moments

More communication

Twitter, Facebook, email...

Philosophy (3)

Sunday thoughts - communication

Communication these days seems to be nearly entirely electronic. In our house we have a desktop computer and a laptop computer; if I'm upstairs and the other-half is downstairs we'll often use email to communicate... or Twitter!  We both have smartphones which we can use to call, text, email (and Twitter!) and we use the phones at home as well as out and about. We do have a landline - we hardly ever use the phone though except when we use the multiple handsets to call each other in different parts of the house. We do usually manage to talk to each other when we're actually in the same room!

When I was growing up we lived in a five bedroom house. When we wanted to communicate with each other,often as not, we shouted. We had one telephone, in the kitchen - and that wasn't cordless either. By the time my brother and I were in our teens we'd progressed to two telephones, still not cordless. My Dad did have an early mobile phone (the first was actually a car phone and couldn't come out of the car!) - I remember the pager better (now consigned to medical professionals only it seems).

It's hard to remember how we got by before the world was full of instant communication. When you wanted to go out and meet with friends you made plans to be at a place, at a time, and you were there at that time. Now we all carry our mobile phones and make plans 'on the fly' if we can't be at the right place at the right time you just make a call.

Hungry critters

What have the squirrels of Charlton been up to?! Apparently the fact that we feed them daily and spend an absolute fortune on their food isn't enough. They decided to help themselves to the peanut store!

On another front we owe a debt of thanks to the magic cleaning fluid from QVC which has cleaned up my silver duck money box (30 something years old, cleaned once previously!). I wish I'd taken a before photo!

Skywatch Friday (42)

Winter Sunset

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Another Thursday

Thank goodness it is nearly the end of my week. This week has been a bit too much for me - even with the taxi... I've been taking work home and haven't managed to get quite enough sleep at any point.

Night of work and kittens

Last night the better-half was down the Valley watching Charlton which left me, Casper and Tinker to our own devices. I had work to do, unfortunately, but the boys were very keen to be helpful in the kitchen. they were also seeking the answer to one of life's great questions (for two small felines, anwyay) - where does the water come from... and where does it go to?!

Meridian Line

Time starts at Greenwich. Where east meets west, sometimes in the night sky. The green line in the sky is the Greenwich Meridian Line - zero degrees longitude.