Happy Birthday to me

Well today is my birthday...........another year older!! I took a days leave today, as I prefer not to work on my birthday. Decided to have a lazy day, weather is pretty crap......the thaw has started and it has rained most of the day, that horrid really wet rain, if you know what I mean. We had considered on going to the cinema to see 'The Little Fockers', but the write ups were pretty dire, and as there was nothing else on that we fancied, I decided not to bother. We had also considered going out to lunch, but after eating and drinking rather a lot over the last few days, decided nice meal at home was all I fancied. So we made a quick dash to Asda for supplies and then came home and bolted out the horrid weather and settled down with a glass of wine and a good movie!

It has been a lovely Christmas for hubby and I, the first that we have had time off together, without having to sell our soul to the devil to get annual leave.............as is the case when you work in hospitality!! I had two rest days on the 23rd and 24th December, and as I was down to do middle shifts on the 25th and 26th, I got those off too. I did work yesterday and then as I took a days leave today, I am now not back to work until 11pm on the 31st!!! The three night shifts and another three days off............tough life this. Hubby on the other hand, had the week before Christmas off as anual leave. He was due back to work on Tuesday 21st, but then discovered he did not start back until Wednesday 22nd, working until the 24th and then off until the 29th!! He actually did go back on the 22nd, as the called him and asked if he wanted some overtime. He then works the 29th, 30th and 31st, before not going back until the 4th January 2011. He has worked out he will only be working 14 days in total in December.............and he says I am part time!!!! Our Christmas has been quite quiet. We had a lovely lunch at home together, before going round to my dads for the evening and Boxing day. We have really enjoyed having a lovely lazy time together, not worrying about work, or even being bothered by it.

As I suspect this will be my last blog of 2010, all that remains is for me to wish you all and happy and prosperous 2011.

Pot Holes

After the big thaw last year, our roads became a collection of pot holes, some of them car damagingly large. Much was made of this by both local and national press, and over the year, the worst of the craters have been filled and patched, and in the odd rare case, actually repaired properly, though it has taken the best part of the year, and some of the more minor holes have been left........no doubt not worthy of repair until they rip the wheel of the occasional passing pantechnicon!!


So, image what a few weeks of freezing temperatures and 10 to 15cms of snow has done. Able to finally see the tarmac on anything but a motorway for the first time in days, I noticed on my journey home that the pot holes are back. Many are the re-emergence of lasts years patched pot holes, but some are new. So, will they repair them properly this time............of course not, that would cost too much in the short term. And I wonder how long it will take them this time????

SNOW!!!!!!

Due to various reasons, my family are not getting together on Christmas day. It is my nephews first Christmas, and so both sets of grandparents have staked a claim, so in order not to disappoint anyone, my brother and sister-in law have said they will host Christmas lunch at theirs. Respect due to my sister-in-law, 9 month old baby and both sets of grandparents - rather her than me! In light of this, my youngest brother is heading to the 'frozen' north to spend Christmas with his girlfriend and her family - she hails from north of Newcastle, so found it highly amusing that we going on about this heavy snow fall we had. We've probably had about 10 - 12cms, a light dusting in her world! Anyway with this in mind, we had a family get together this weekend just gone.

Youngest brother and girlfriend made it down from Nottingham safely on Friday night, with the rest of us planning to head over Saturday morning. We had had a little snow on Thursday, covering the grass, but not the roads. We had decided that we would leave about half ten, and we would be in Maidenhead by eleven. We got up Saturday morning, no more snow, so started getting ready. Then it started to snow!!! In the space of an hour, we had had several inches and it showed no sign of stopping. With this is mind, and the fact that we live in a small village on the edge of the Chilterns, we decided to drive to Stokenchurch (actually in the opposite direction to the one we wanted to be going in) as it is the flattest route out of the village, and then get on the M40. After a bit of slipping and sliding to actually to get to main road (only a B road, so don't get any ideas!), we made it to the motorway, and what a sight that met out eyes!!!!!!!!!

We finally left out house at about 10.50am, and got to Maidenhead at just before 12.30pm. This is a journey that normally takes about 20minutes.

The M40 was down to one lane and at best about 20 miles an hour. I know that the snow came down very quickly, we had about 12cms in two hours, but you would have thought that the Highways agency and the councils would have managed a slightly better job that this.

We then had to get off the M40 at junction 4 (Handycross)...........that was fun getting up the slip road, and the two changes of the lights before before we could get going again. Below is a picture of the junction...........snowing heavily and devoid of the traffic that normally snarls it to a near stand still.

Anyway, we finally got there, as did my brother, sister-in-law and nephew, who had a similar nightmare journey from Reading along the M4!

We all stayed the night, so good food and booze flowed, and luckily by this morning, the powers that be had finally managed to get themselves organised and at least the motorways were clear.

Hubby and I did a test run to Slough before lunch (hubby has been on a weeks holiday, so he wanted to go and pick up his duties for next week - bloody part timer does not start back until Wednesday, then has four days off over Christmas!!), and found the roads fine - well the A4 was awful actually, especially given as it was the centre of Slough. At least the motorways were fine.

We had no trouble getting back to Stokenchurch, and even the road to our village was fine, bit hairy off the main (remember it is a B road, so don't get excited) roads, but we got home. Have to say, am not looking forward to going to Oxford tomorrow morning (got three earlies before I start my Christmas break), but hubby has said that he will take me, so least I don't have to drive. He will also take me to the police station, which is advantageous, as according to Oxford Bus Company's website, their services are severely disrupted, so I might have trouble getting the bus from the park and ride tomorrow.................. anyone would think it had snowed or something!

Sickness

I mentioned a few days ago that I have been diagnosed with gall stones. This did not come as a huge shock, I have suspected it for some time, but the pain had started to effect my day to day life, well keeping me awake at night, so I finally went to the doctor with my suspicions.


I should explain that this has been a rather lengthy process which started about seven or eight years ago. I had bronchitis and after I got better, I had a pain in my right side. So I went to the doctor who suspected a pulled muscle and said if it isn't better in a few weeks, come back. Anyway, in a few weeks I went back as it wasn't better and a suspected broken rib was discussed. I had x-rays, a bone density scan, blood tests and nothing was discovered. It was then suggested that it might be nerve damage, and then there was not a huge amount that could be done.


Over the years I still had pain and I also went through a period of feeling sick, being sick, and the fact that my side was always tender. Anyway, over the last few months, the pain has steadily got worse and I thought it might be an idea if I went back to the doctor. I had discussed the symptoms with my mother (who has had gall stones) and she suggested the diagnosis. I suggested this to the doctor, who was skeptical.............I didn't have pain in the right places apparently, but he sent me for an ultra sound which confirmed that yes, I do have gall stones.


So now I have got to have surgery, so I have to wait, but I have to say, the symptoms are getting worse. When I eat, I have pain afterwards, I feel bloated and the pain is almost constant. And if this was not all enough....................I NOW HAVE A COLD!!!

Pass the Tequila

What's that saying.......'when life hands you a lemon, pass the tequila'. Well that about sums up the last few weeks.

First the washing machine developed a funny smell...........I thought it was an earthy type smell, but hubby said it was a burning smell (didn't smell like any fire I've ever come across, but never mind) and sure enough when he took the back off, the bit were the electricity comes into the machine had started to burn and melt. Now I should mention that the washing machine is only about two years old and up until the burning smell, has always worked fine. Well we went weren't to worried as we reckoned we could get a replacement part from the manufacturers, Indiset if you are interested. Oh how wrong were we??? The machine is obsolete apparently. It's two years old for gods sake!!! Hubby finally tracked a replacement bit..........wonders of the Internet and fitted it, but not until we had been without the machine for over a week.

The I had the incident at work, which has now escalated and I had to give a very lengthy statement to CID with the possibility that I may have to go to court to give evidence (occupational hazard in our job!). This of course is a long way down the line as first they have got to find out if the offender is fit to stand trial, and then I will only have to go by some fluke that they don't believe the CCTV!

Finally, after about five years of pain, discomfort and puzzlement, it is official, I have gall stones. Surgery is the only option, so I now have to wait. I am hoping that it won't be too long, as the pain is getting worse and worse, and is starting to effect me on a daily basis, as well as keeping me awake at night, or waking me up. I am popping pain killers like they are going out of fashion...thank god we don't get drug tested at work like hubby (and he now has to be careful what he takes, just in case he gets called in for a random test).

Then to cap it all, I was just approaching the city centre last night when bang, and my exhaust dropped off. Just what I needed! Quick call to work and a strong man came to rescue me, well remove the part of the exhaust that was hanging down. Then would you believe it, the bloody car would not start. We tried to bump start it with no joy, so ended up having one officer holding up the traffic while the other plus one drunk bloke from the nearby pub pushed my car off the road so we could jump start it from the panda. Luckily I had jump leads. Anyway I got to the station just a few minutes late albeit sounding like a boy racer!!! So, I fully expected that when I came to come home this morning (I am on nights at the moment), that I would again need a jump start. However I got into my car and to my immense surprise it started first time. It is now at the garage waiting to be fixed but unfortunately they were unable to fit it in today, but I am hoping for tomorrow. I managed to arrange transport to and from work for tonight's shift...........if they don't fix it tomorrow, then I am not sure what I am going to do. Might have to take the night off! Well, will have to suck it and see I guess (is that the lemon??)

There has been some good news - England have beaten Australia by an innings and 71 runs in the second ashes test in Brisbane!

And finally, have just heard on the news that the ice has damaged the gritters in Scotland!!! Call me stupid, but should gritting lorries not be able to cope with ice???