Another Beautiful Day

May try a little sun-bathing today (only don't tell the lovely Debbie or she'll shout at me - although latest thinking seems to be that the vitamin D one gets from exposure to the sun can actually help protect against certain cancers). Had a relatively quiet help line session last night - just 2 calls: one from someone who wanted to get buried in Amsterdam (and he phoned me why?) and another more disturbing one about abuse - but I'm not sure it wasn't a fantasist. Then down Canal Street with Jim. That place is truly a horror. The people! My God. And I get really annoyed that the gay community gets such shoddy service from its businesses. Service is bad, slow and unfriendly. Drinks are warm and overpriced and yet we put up with it. Why? There are plenty of good, well run, reasonably priced places out there so why don't we use them? WHo knows. Shan't be going back there in a hurry though. Seeing Graham from upstairs later, hopefully he won't suggest Canal Street. That's all. Have nice day. J x

Beautiful Day

Done Sainsburys, dry cleaners, cleaning, washing (2 loads - good drying weather) and off to help line tonight. Potentially Canal Street afterwards. This of course means that I have to miss the reality thing with Susan Boyle tonight. Quelle tragedie! I hope she doesn't win though because she's rubbish. Taking Madam and all her friends to the airport tomorrow morning (they're off to Ibiza). Wouldn't be surprised if DD decides not to go though as her father in law is ill in hospital. That's all. J x

Ooooh, Oslo

Just checked my visitor stats and I have a reader in Oslo. How exciting. Congratulations on Eurovision Oslo. That's all. J x

Home Early

Actually managed to leave the office before it closed today (albeit just by an hour!). This is a huge step forward. Having spent hours and days studying for the management course I was on yesterday (only to find out it was a complete waste of time) as well as carrying on the day job I found myself up to date today. Hurrah. Have another 3 management courses to do (4 days each with 3 days pre-course study before that) during this year but they sound like they may be more use. And the weather is nice too.

Spoke to the old man yesterday. He was full of the joys of spring having found out that his heart is not about to pack up after all. The rest of us are pretty happy about that too. He still has an irregular heartbeat but hasn't had a heart attack (as was feared) and all the fluid has disappeared from his lungs. Good news.

Off out for a cocktail or two with a couple of old chums from ABH tomorrow evening. Help Line and then out with Jim on Saturday. And then maybe a bit of gardening on Sunday (since the weather is supposed to stay nice). Everything in my garden is rosy at the moment. And Man Utd lost. That's all. J x

So Busy

Its been ages since my last blog so apologies for that. But the job just takes up so much time at the moment that by the time I get home I'm exhausted. I'm hoping things will quieten down slightly as we move into June and I'll be able to catch up with myself and start doing less than 10 hour days.

Having said that I'm still loving the job and learning almost as much about myself as I am about my team (but we don't need to go into all that here - that's probably a conversation I need to have with my psychiatrist: Dr Vodka). Have a training course on Wednesday to find out how to be a "confident manager". Let's see if I learn anything new...

Out of work I haven't had much time for anything. Although I did see DD and quite a lot of my psychiatrist on Friday at a new bar in town (was OK but probably not going back in a rush - its called Eparney or something like that). Spent Saturday recovering. Yesterday was cleaning and gardening with a trip to the garden centre this morning to spend some of my leaving present from the Manchester office (spent £80, £50 to go). Later this afternoon I'm off to the cinema with Gill - Angels & Demons which I'm really looking forward to. I enjoyed the book more than the Da Vinci code and a lot of this film is set in Rome which I love. DD calling round later to drop the car off and share a coffee and a catch up. Now feeling fairly chilled (the extra day off has done me good) which is nice for a change. That's all. J x

Eurovision

A vintage year. Well done Russia. That's all. J x

A Quiet Weekend. Sort Of.

Well, at least I didn't do anything Saturday night. Friday night was a couple of martinis at The Midland followed by vodka and soup (in quantity order!) at DD's and the last episode of Mad Men. There has to be another series, it is just so good. Anyway, woke up on her sofa having succumbed to the effects of Absolut and a tough week and then stumbled home. Nice quiet day yesterday - hair cut and dry cleaners. And then tried (once again) to eat pasta in the evening. Usual failure. Ho hum. No change on the saliva front then. Today will be a trip to Sainsburys and John Lewis followed by the new Star Trek with Gill. Can't wait!

Aged Ps are on their way back from Portugal having enjoyed bright sunshine and hot temperatures all week (apart from yesterday when it rained). Will be good to have them home safe and sound. Another busy week in work ahead and Book Group Monday evening at Room (where I believe they are currently serving half price cocktails - uh oh, particularly since I have another conference to attend on Tuesday). That's all. J x

Eeek

The Apprentices are coming North. Lock up your self respect and head for the hills... J x

Quiet Weekend (ish)

Not done a huge amount. Mostly spent today cleaning and stuff. Unable to do any on Saturday or Sunday on account of getting over hangovers (hence the "ish" in the title). Saturday night was out with Ms DD and Gill & Brian (her friends from Guildford). Went to the Great John Street hotel and a new bar called Corridor which is down a back-street in Salford and yet was really good (very knowledgeable barmen who knew what they were doing (how fantastic/unusual is that?). Did get very very drunk though.

Week in Warrington was good. Plenty of meetings and stuff (of course). Exciting week coming up - even more meetings! Also went to a meeting at the Helpline (I just can't get enough of them). This was the first time since the chicken pox and it was good to catch up with people.

Just watched 100 Greatest Musicals (an inspired piece of television if there ever was one). But Grease as the greatest musical? I think not. I'd probably go for Les Miserables? Into The Woods? A Chorus Line? Let me know what you think... That's all. J x