First day at work

Posted on Mon 16 October 2006 at 09:02

 I have to have my first moan.  we have a wireless broadband connection here and quite often, once you have typed up a post/email/whatever, when you go to send it, it then gives you the 'unavailable' screen...and you lose it...It is driving me mad!  Steve has already got wise to it and cautioned me to copy everything before I attempted to send it, but I spent 3/4 of an hour writing up my blog and forgot.  Very very pissed off now.  And the worst of it is, althought I will attempt to write it all the same way again, it won't BE the same, will it?

First day, pissed down this morning as Steve drove me to work (hey, have a dog...) and I thought, not an auspicious start (Ben, it means not well starred in a horoscope type manner!).  Got to Human Resources and had to fill in paperwork, then had the most God-awful photo take (I wouldn't mind but they needed TWO for different badges!).  I was met there by the clinical lead Nurse (nice woman) who showed me round a bit and gave me a brief overview of the service.  My colleagues seem pleasant and helpful and the unit itself didn't seem too stressful.  I didn't feel I had done anything constructive or Nursey on my first day, but I think I will be on induction courses for most of the first two weeks so hopefully by the end of that I will feel useful.  All in all, not a bad first day at all, but I am glad it is out of the way!

I don't think I described the house, did I?

It has a green corrougated iron roof and is mainly white plank with yellow windows.  Like most houses round here it has an under-house space that is finished in yellow boarding.  The ground slopes quite steeply here so at the front of the house, the space is 2/3 foot deep and at the back 7/8 foot. It has green verandahs back and front - we tend to use the back door mostly as the front screen door is tricky to unlock.  Screen doors - fantastic!!   How alien!  Single storey.  It has no double glazing or central heating but it does have an old fashioned gas fire on a 3 or 4 foot long gas line.  It doesn't sit in a fire surround or fireplace but on the carpet so that you can move it around.  Odd to us Brits isn't it?  You can't stand far enough back from the house to take a decent phot because the fence masks it a bit but I will ask Steve to try and take some photos so you can see for yourselves.

The living room area has a spartan look to which at the moment I quite like.  It only has 4 items in it.  The new picture, which Steve didn't do justice in his post.  I think it is absolutely lovely, it is of an unfurling fern frond.  If I were twee or American I would probably say it signified our new lives unfurling in front of us, but I'm neither so I won't!!  There is a photo of my children.  Then there is our lovely new grey suede sofa bed (which will do as a settee until our own stuff arrives and then it will sleep our guests!)  And last but by no means least there is Steve's favourite purchase - our super-duper, all singing-all dancing, 32" LCD whatever flatscreen (you can probably tell I neither know nor care what it is or what it does).  I don't know where the rest of our stuff will go when it arrives.  Our newly purchased lounge/dining should be delivered shortly, so I will have to put that somewhere too. 

We have discovered some rare treats since moving here!:

Steak and Cheese Pie - words can't describe how marvellous these are!

Smoked Fish Pie - Steve said these were OK

Mussel Pie - neither of us have plucked up the courage yet.. watch this space!

Pineapple Lumps - chocolate covered pineapple nougat/mallow bars - Mmmm...

Pinkie - chocolate covered soft toffee/nougat bar.. yum..

Grape flavoured fizzy drink - the jury is still out on that one (Melissa likes it)

Raro - sherbet meant to be made into a cold drink - locals and Melissa eat it..

Broccoflower - exactly what you would think it is!

Steve has been eating Sushi and still expects a goodnight kiss.........

And to top it all, they have a shop that only sells cheesecake, with it's own parking...how wonderful is that?

Well, what can the UK offer to entice us back?  Short of the never-ending red pudding supper which isn't likely to happen in my lifetime, I think we are here to stay.  Feel free to come and find out for yourself (certain conditions apply)!!

Steve has just interrupted my blogging to point out the night sky... i knew it would be different and I have contemplated how alien it would be, but it so far away from everything we know as Brits, that it is a complete remove from normality.  It is like waking up in a new land.... oh yeah, that's OK then....  Steve thinks he has found the Southern Cross but I have found the beer in the fridge so I am not arguing at this point!  Cheers! 

My musings on cat poo reminded me of a theory I have held dear for a long time and would now like to take this opportunity to share with you....  For those who know me well, you will have been subjected to this at great length before, and for my new friends... read on....

First things first:

Any resemblance to any cat, real of fictional, living or dead is purely coincidental.

No cat was harmed in the making of this blog.

The author does not advocate the kicking of any cat, whether real or fictional, alive or dead.

The following is purely fictional theory and not the result of evidence based research.

Okay, here we go:

have you ever noticed a dog crapping in your garden?  It will do it's utmost to avoid your gaze in an almost shamefaced sort of way, like it KNEW it shouldn't be there? 

Right, now picture a cat squatting in your border... It calmly averts it's gaze from yours.. no shame...they seem to gaze into the middle distance and decide you are not worthy of their notice...

However, I seem to have become sidetracked.... 

Right,  you must have noticed, when a cat decides to crap in your garden, it seems to be frozen in place until the dirty deed is done....

Have you ever contemplated donning the wellies (protective clothing!) when it assumes the position in the Sweet Williams and applying  a hefty kick to it's rump?  Up until that point, it was in charge - desecrator of suburban borders, ruiner of gardens on a global scale (Vlad the Inshiter!) 

HOWEVER!! 

Justice will be done! Ha-ha!! 

My theory is that said cat will be paralysed in position until the dirty deed is done and will sail through the air in the same position it was in before the application of the welly! 

Unable to move until it's bodily functions are complete it will  land at an awkward angle, jarring it's neck or other joint and then, on going home to it's owners, it will mince in looking sorrowful and they will then say  "Oh, Puss, have you been in a fight?"

OK, enough ramblings, it is late - 10.50-pm and I am still adjusting to the time here so that is.. LATE!

Karen B