Friday, June 14, 2002

Well, Joan has gone back to work today. Not 100% sure if she should have done, but she didn't really have much choice as she is the only member of management present. She is then off tomorrow, in Sunday, off Monday, in Tuesday, off Wednesday, on a course (here in Ipswich) Thurs before two days together in the shop Fri & Sat. So hopefully none of that will be too tiring for her. She was certainly as bright as a button when I dropped her off this morning, hopefully there will be a bit of energy left come 530.

I had a Car Parks meeting this morning. Nice to not be in the office, but no real knowledge gained or decisions made during the meeting so might not really have been worth going along to. However, I did notice that I was shake-free for all of it, and indeed until I got back in to here. So perhaps there is something in the office environment (by which I mean people and work not the air) that sets me off. Will have to try and make note of anything that may happen tomorrow. And I'm feeling half asleep again today which is a bit distracting too.

While I was out I had to deliver some leaflets to the courts. As a result I went further up the town than I usually venture of a lunchtime and noticed the Ann Summers window display which made me laugh. And they get my prize for top Jubilee promotion too. Whereas some shops are offering special coins or flags and have a bit of bunting up, AS have the Queen reading their new book of Wild Sex. They are also selling the limited edition "Her Majesty's Pleasure" sex toy. I didn't go in to see what that was though. A vibrating Sceptre perhaps?

We had been thinking of coming into Ipswich to have a lazy amble about the shops tomorrow, but I think we will give that a miss now. I had forgotten that England are playing Denmark in the World Cup at lunchtime and the police are expecting disruption whatever the results. Perhaps we will just stay in after all. It will probably rain anyway based on recent weeks.

Finished Revolting People on the way in this morning. A very good little series all told and I kind of hope they make another one as there were a few questions left unanswered. Like will Mary and the Captain get together, and will Ezekiel ever get his end away? Alternatively something by the same cast as roughly the same people set in a different time period like they did with Blackadder would be an interesting experiment.

Have now moved on to a Kevin Ayers disc. From a collection of live recordings made for the BBC, some of which feature a pre-Police Andy Summers on guitar and others a pre-Tubular Bells Mike Oldfield. All very good hippyish stuff. I was aware of KA through some stuff he'd done with Gong, but never encountered anything recorded in his own right before. Will now have to seek out more.

Now to pop up the town again to deliver some posters to Park & Ride.

Thursday, June 13, 2002

Joan feeling a lot better today. Was supposed to be off anyway but still taking it very easy. At least I hope she is - can't really see from here! She spent pretty much the whole day in bed yesterday and we also had an early night - which I seem to have benfited from as well by not feeling quite so zonked as normal.

However, I've got the shakes real bad today. When I was first on these tablets I used to get an attack around 1030 every day that would last about half an hour or so, now it seems to be most of the day. Which is a bit irritating. I try to ignore it, but it tends to intrude at strange intervals where I realise I've been wobbling all along. The worst thing about it is that there is no physical manifestation - it just feels like I'm all a tremble. Even the heart rate stays the same, so what the actual cause is remains a mystery to me.

Called in at the post office this morning to pick up something that wouldn't fit through the letterbox yesterday. Another load of articles and stuff from America. Thanks Monica. Been stopping me from going off the wall between bits of work today. Some very interesting stuff as usual, a lot of which makes me feel guilty for not having a plentiful supply of suitable stuff to send back. Tend not to have the time to read a paper or anything though, so that's my excuse.

Could really use an early finish today, but I need to make up some hours. I have a flexi-day booked for next week (when Tawny dear needs to go back to the vet) and am only just on the threshold of hours I'd need to stay positive after it. Although we can carry over a negative amount and make it up later, I prefer not to. Feels better to be ahead I think. If nothing else, I am working extra for me to use then rather than because I need to make it up. I do like the flexi-time system here and certainly wouldn't want to go back to a rigid-hored workplace without serious financial inducements.

On that note, I was dreaming last night that I was being tested for a job back with Argos. I was doing really well despite not having been there for years now, and beating two people from the current workforce. Kept saying to people "I don't know how you got me here, beacause I'm not coming back...". Very strange.

Finally got confirmation of the renewed contracts for Park & Ride today. We will be staying with Ipswich Buses for another 5 years which means we can get on and do some things again. Also can start planning for Christmas (yes, I know it is only June) and the like. Perhaps I'd better do some rather than writing this.

Wednesday, June 12, 2002

Joan came home from work last night with a bit of an upset stomach so I sent her to bed. She did get up after a couple of hours sleep, but still very fragile. This morning she woke up with a splitting headache and weak legs to go with the iffy tummy and has been sick etc. She now has had the Doctor out to visit and my Mum has gone to pick up a prescription for her. I don't mind admitting that I'm a bit worried for her. Wish I could be at home to look after her rather than sitting around here trying to look busy.

I still went over to BB, and it was just as good as before. We did a lot of floor work this time, and I haven't felt quite so unhealthy in years. Loads of work on the abs - muscles that I guess I've neglected up to now. Not too painful this morning though, which is nice. And who knows, perhaps this week I'll find time to practice.

Revolting People continues to amuse and The Railway Navvies to inform.

Managed to ignore all the hype over the football this morning (and indeed the previous matches) despite the fever apparantly gripping the nation. I really couldn't give a monkeys about the whole World Cup. In fact, I can't wait for the whole analogue/digital tv thing to get sorted out so that all sport of all types can be on a different channel so the rest of the schedules don't have to get messed up whenever something like this comes along. I don't want to deny people the chance to watch it, but at the same time think the rest of us shouldn't have to suffer. It gets even worse from now on as we have alternate schedules to choose from depending upon which teams are playing. Think I will stick to the book.

Tuesday, June 11, 2002

Had to resort to doing a bit of tidying up this morning. Things must be getting desperate.

Went out for a wander in the sun at lunchtime which did wonders for clearing the mind a bit. Unfortunately, since I've got back I've been feeling really shaky - but no raised pulse or anything.

Body Balance again tonight - wonder if I will be able to balance any better. Still not managed to find time to practice!
Did something very unusual on the way home from work last night. So unusual I can't recall the last time it happened. I turned off some music because I wasn't enjoying it and couldn't be bothered to stick it out in the hope it would get better. The album in question was Trouble Over Bridgewater by Half Man, Half Biscuit. I've heard some of their stuff before and thought it OK, so when I saw it at the library I thought I'd give it a whirl. Kind of wish I hadn't now. Just tedious dirges with none of the humour I'd noticed before. So I stopped it. As I said, a most rare occurrence.

This morning I have started listening to Revolting People - a Radio 4 comedy series the brother recored. Co-written by Andy Hamilton who is seriously funny in everything else I've heard of his. Set in America at the time of the Boston Tea Party and quite amusing so far. 6 episodes so that should last me until the end of the week.

Now to find some work to do.

Monday, June 10, 2002

Another up & down kind of weekend. Saturday spent alternating between the Iron and the PC (and also watch Tomb Raider with Richard over lunch. I know the reviews were crap but I quite like it). Also listened to a few CDs for the first time in ages. Just not felt like music recently, but did enjoy Chumbawamba's Showbusiness! and some Levellers.

I also had the unenviable job of taking Tawny to the vet. It seems she has cystitis again, the poor little darlin'. So now we have to give her tablets twice a day so by the time she has finished the bottle and been back to check they've worked we shall really be in her bad books. It always takes her weeks to trust us again when something like this happens.

Yesterday I got up late to find Joan about to start working in the Garden. I managed to take over cutting the grass from her, but she simply did other stuff like weeding instead. After lunch I fell asleep on the hammock during which time she blitzed the whole house. So of course that left me feeling guilty again. Even though she could have woken me up rather than putting a blanket on me if she'd actually wanted help. After waking up I thought I was doing fine, but shortly realised I was in a nervous and feeling edgy kind of mood, which is still persisting this morning. Nothing seems to be shaking me out of it at the moment, and I can't even try my favourite remedy of a walk in the sun as it is instead raining like crazy.

I seem to be getting a run of, not quite nightmares, but dreams that leave me upset (to the point of crying) or agitated afterwards. The other night I woke up in tears cos I dreamed I'd dropped Tawny's dinner and wasted 60p! What the hell is that all about? I'd give a lot to get this sorted once and for all. I seem to be tired all the time still too.

Ma & Richard came to dinner last night for her birthday, and we started watching Harry Potter with them afterwards. Didn't get it finished so they will be back tonight for that. Still seeing new little bits in there.

Been doing yet more "day after the books come out" timetable changes this morning, with a few more to knock off this afternoon. Blasted operators, and even more blasted Cambridgeshire County Council for supporting the short notice changes. Here we go then.