This has been a busy week, both in and outside the NHS for me, though I have to come clean and admit that the lack of leadership and direction at work is beginning to get me down some what. When we are busy, with meetings, deadlines, things to write, training to plan, people to see then it feels like something of a military campaign and it feels somehow that we are doing a worthwhile job. When little of that is happening and you are doing things because it seems like a good idea and the right thing, but no one of any importance appears to know of care if you are doing it then that is a different matter. Still I keep busy doing something! What is really good though is that I have time to work on my college assginment, which I don’t mind doing in work time seeing as it is about work and the results will hopefully have some bearing on how we evaluate courses in the future.

I have experienced the worst of the local traffic situation this week, with a journey on Monday that took two and three quarter hours instead of the usual hour and I have received a lovely letter from the local police force because apparently last week I was caught speeding. I was late for a meeting, no excuse I know, and I honestly thought the speed limit was 40, apparently the policeman secreted in his white van with his speed camera caught me doing 44 mph in a 30mph area so that is me banged to rights (fine and points on the way!)

I have had the pleasure of a visit to teen son’s school to discuss A level options (this is the qualifications he will be studying next year after finishing his GCSEs). He is a little confused so we ended up talking to numerous teachers, some of whom were impressive in their encouragement and enthusiasm for their subject and some who were less so. Decision time approaches, but of course he can change his mind depending on exam grades. This is quite scary stuff as I clearly remember being in the 6th form and studying for my A levels while of course having lots of fun; can he really be almost 16?

As if to prove the point, last night was my nephew’s 16th birthday party, there is just 3 months between the two of them and my abiding memory is of 2 babies side by side in their little bouncy chairs and of 2 little boys, one blond and one dark running around and doing everything together! Now they are both over 6 foot tall are increasingly and scarily independent (see picture, taken this summer in Barcelona).
So this afternoon, I am taking a well earned rest from the rat race and from anything energetic, taking a look around the blogsphere, and catching up on some of my favorite blogs. Plus getting myself ready for another fun week in the NHS!