Well, life seems to have slowed down a bit, for which I am truly grateful.  The first few weeks were a mad rush to get things organised but now we have passed the five week mark, it is pretty mellow.  I even managed to buy wooden spoons and chenille throw today – hardly top priority eh?

Work is going well.  Last week I spent 5 days doing District Health Board Orientation.  So I now have certificates in just about everything ranging from how to put a fire out with my shoe to how to extinguish the Towering Inferno single-handedly…..a minor exaggeration I am sure you will let pass…..  Also did CPR which a lot of people have to do regardless of their profession, but it is the most in-depth course of this kind I have ever attended.  It included intubation of airways a higher level than I have done before, so very pleased to pass that and I have the certificate to prove it!

I met a woman from Embo who works at the main hospital (Embo being only what? 50 odd miles from home?).  They have a word here -  ‘whanau’ for family, extended family etc, so we decided we were whanau, but if she thinks she is getting an Xmas present she is sadly mistaken!!

This week I have been on the ward and I am beginning to feel useful.  The staffing levels here are far better but that means there is less for me to do so I haven’t felt particularly on the ball.  That began to change towards the end of the week as there seemed to be some kind of epidemic and there were several staff off.  Karen to the rescue!!!  I will be doing 4 days of Calming and Restraint next weeks so following that I will be starting on the proper shift rota or roster as they say here. 

Talking of how they say things here, I find myself ‘mirroring’ what people say.  They say something with a different pronunciation and I find myself saying it to hear how it sound when I say it…….I think I’ve told you this before….  Anyway, my favourite phrase of the moment is “puss off” (piss off), ‘cos that’s what it sounds like to me!!  Steve mentioned we went to a barbeque last weekend and a woman there kept saying it to her husband, I was like a little echo!!

We all went riding on Wednesday…….remind me not to do that again in a hurry!!  I haven’t been on a horse since were based in Elgin – must be 3 – 4 years ago.  Dear me, I ache from where my waist ought to be to my ankles!  I rode in trainers and jeans as our stuff hasn’t arrived here yet and I had forgotten how sore that made your legs.  Not only that, I felt quite unsafe as the stirrup came up over my trainer a couple of times and I was concerned I would get stuck.  So I have decided not to go again until my kit gets here.  Considering Steve hasn’t been on a horse since he and Jim went in Cruden Bay the first time we were posted to Buchan, he didn’t do too badly.  We all cantered!.  I’m afraid I couldn’t resist it, I have kitted Melissa out from head to foot again.  I did it when she first started riding at Lossiemouth and seeing as she has outgrown everything, I did it again… but she really looks the part and we intend to keep her going this time.  She is really keen and seems to be catching on quick so good luck to her.  Our new stables will lease their ponies out over the summer holidays so I told Melissa it would be a possibility we could do that next summer.  She sulked.  She wants it this summer.  Well, summer here is Dec – Feb/March and I don’t think she knows enough now for us to be spending that kind of money yet.  I will tell her it can be next year’s Xmas present!!!

Can I just remind everyone who may be thinking of visiting us here that it would be in your own best interests to do so over the UK winter which is summer here.  It has been strange to have Halloween in broad daylight – not a single kid at the door (ha, we took the door down!) and Bonfire night still light and mild at 9pm.  There will be so much more to see and do if you come between November – April, best Dec/Jan/Feb.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Did I tell you they infected me with the plague – the bastards?!!  In spite of telling them I had been tested and inoculated against TB in the UK, they insisted in testing me again and injecting me with lethal doses (minor exaggeration again) of TB….  I got my own back by sticking my poxy arm in people’s faces and saying ‘lick it’…..to which I got a chorus of “puss off”…Life is sweet!!!

Last and not at all least,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK !!