Christmas

What a Christmas. Graham (Jules's dad), Lisa (sister-in law), and Sandra (Jules's Aunty) came over for Christmas Day. Graham arrived from South Africa last Tuesday week (18th) and is staying till the new year. Lisa came over on the evening of the 24th. Anyway, the 25th was a good day. We all opened our presents, and then had a large lunch followed by Christmas pudding. It was all good.

New Year

I am now on holiday. I will be spending New Year at home with Jules, Graham and Sandra.

Tomorrow we (Jules and I) go on holiday.

I would like to wish all who read this a very merry and wonderful New Year.

Next year I hope to change the theme of this journal, so it may be a week or two before I get going on it.

Have a good New year

My Birthday and work Christmas lunch

Even though its my birthday today, I still had to go to work... shame....

But, we still went out for Christmas lunch and the local pub. Food good and the company good too.

Here we have Vasi, Nick, Fivos, Ian, George, Sabina and John.

And here Vasi is taking the photo.

And now I'm on holiday for 5, yes 5 days. Yay.

November, the beginning

It's well through November and I've said very little...

As you might of guessed, November has been rather busy. At the beginning, I had to go to Dudley in the West Midlands for a days training with Computeach. Their facility there was quite impressive.

Then a few days later I did the first two of four open water dives for the Padi certificate. This turned out to be a rather cold time as we set off on a Monday morning for Stoney Cove, a dive centre and ex-quarry full of water. After sorting out a few things like hiring the semi dry suits, we got kitted up went to the water. It was freezing. A shock to the system. All of us felt it. Andy, our instructor said he felt the cold, but he was in a dry suit which happens to have a good layer of insulation. I think he was saying that so we didn't feel to bad... At the end of the two dives we retired to the bar after cleaning up and putting away the kit. The cold didn't go for a couple of days. A two week wait for the next two dives...

On the following Wednesday I started my new work at Chase Farm Hospital. The work is so different and yet the same as when I was at Smiths Medical. It is a much better environment because the attitude is far different. Get the job done and everyone's happy. At the moment, there is no 'time management' or time analysis which means there is far less pressure in the work place. The work still gets done.

Last day

Today is the last day at my present job. Brought in some doughnuts and cookies for everyone. The main thing I am looking forward to is not having to get up at 5:30 each morning. Although I am sure I'll still wake at 5:30 for next few days! I am sad (well, slightly) to leave this job as I have enjoyed working here. Of course there have been problems and as usual with large companies the bureaucracy is phenomenal, along with internal politics and personal snipping, but overall, it has been good. There is a good sense of team and a genuine willingness to help. The biggest problem for me has been the distance. Driving 50 miles round trip may not sound too bad, and it isn't really, its just that most of it is on the M25 motorway, which as some of you know is sometimes a carpark when there is either too many vehicles or an accident. And this is what makes the job tiring. I know others have a harder life, worse job, longer hours, further to travel, so I consider it a real blessing that I now have a new job closer to home and with more standard hours.