Is from Hampton Court Flower Show last summer.
Lets face it, during the winter, when as yet spring is not yet in sight (though the daffodils are beginning to show through) it is great to think of hot, sunny days. It is great to think of wonderful days out and of beautiful places and wonderful things.
A couple more photo’s from that day…
I have decided that city breaks are the thing to do. With the price of flights and our close proximity to mainland Europe we are after all ideally placed. Of course this needs to be set against the political incorrectness of utilising too much carbon footprint and the worryingly poor Euro to Pound exchange rate.
Rather than buy Matt a gift he can keep for ever as an 18th birthday we bought he and his cousin a trip to Rome so that they can have memories to keep for ever. What is more, we went on that trip with them and what is more, it was a fantastic way to spend a long weekend. We ventured through Rome for the day on our cruise a couple of years ago and promised ourselves that we would return for a proper visit. Last weekend was was when we took that visit.
To adopt the highlight / lowlight style of Miss Nemesis whose blog I very much admire and who was in Vegas while we explored Rome this is my take on the Italian capital:
Best bits -
Less good bits
So that’s Rome tackled, now if we can just pay off our now enormous credit card bill (winning the lottery might help) we can pick up that European weekend break lifestyle and go somewhere else soon….
The last time I personally saw as much snow as this I was within a hospital building, confined as I awaited the birth of my son. 18 years ago I didn’t have to negotiate ungritted roads and pavements. I didn’t need to spend hours in traffic in my car and I didn’t worry about school closures. I don’t know if in 1991 people gave up on work before they tried to go in, I don’t know if trains and buses were cancelled, I don’t know if health and safety issues kept schools closed.
In my particular town we have had about 3 days or nights of snow. On sunday several inches fell and it was very cold. The UK is apparantly not set up for this kind of thing. We only get snow round here on one or two days each year, and even then if often doesn’t last till lunch time; much to the disappointment of children and their sledges. This year the whole winter has been more severe, therfore if we were ever going to get significant snow it was going to be this winter. On Tuesday when I went to work the main roads were fine. The smaller roads in a town centre area where my place of work is were pretty much an ice rink, people were skidding into the kerb of a large roundabout. Having parked my car in the car park (I was amazed later to find it was actually between two white lines) I then had to negotiate some seriously treaturous pavements. The only place gritting had taken place was by a department store and my office building next door (oh yes folks I work right next to a John Lewis, and that is a story to tell one day!)
Schools were cancelled for 2 days and again today. My husband has so far worked a one day week. But children have had a good time, learning in a different way. Parents have taken days off work and actually spent time with them playing in that snow. On Tuesday morning as I drove slowly along my road a car passed in the opposite direction and the driver actually smiled at me. People walking along the pavements appear to be concerned about each other.
So my assessment is that yes it is mad that we can’t cope with a bit of snow. But if it means that people are nicer to each other for a day or two, if parents spend quality time actually playing with their children then I can’t see how the economy will be poorer in real terms.
I have just returned from what must be the first healthcare conference of the year (well obviously it is for me). It was fun, informative, friendly and a bit tiring. It was also close to home and free. What more can you need or ask for? Despite it being close by I decided to stay over. This may have been an error on my part. Not because of the room or food or anything (my room was great and indeed better than the one I shared at the same place with my hubby last year). But actually because I have less self control than I should and committed the two cardinal sins of drinking too much and staying up late. I am puzzled to understand exactly what is wrong with me. After all I had the will power to refrain from bread rolls and pudding at lunch, I drank fruit tea in the afternoon and was on course for good health and at least not adding to my Christmas weight gain by the time of tonights slimming club weigh it. Unfortunately the conference day of good and useful information didn’t finish till 6pm, by which time I was weary and weak willed. A man stood outside of the main room with a tray of champagne, I took one and followed colleagues into another room where a further man approached me with appetizing and tasty looking food on a plate. It was at this point I should have put down my glass, declined his offer and ran to my as yet undiscovered room. Sadly I did not and it was all down hill from there.
What followed was another glass, several more canapes, some interesting conversation and finally check in. By then I had just half an hour to shower, change, check in with the folks at home and get back for dinner. At various points during the evening opportunities arose to return to my lovely room, get into my 4 poster bed (I kid you not) and snuggle down with my book. Sadly I didn’t pick up on my own cues and it was 3.15am when I finally took the initiative. By then it was too late and I was too tired and had inbibed too much wine to read anything. Thankfully I was slightly saved by the good sense of water consumed instead of alcohol between the hours of 2 and 3am.
So there you have my sorrow ful tale. The end result was that I stayed in bed late rather than take breakfast. My head was wooly during a very interesting talk on management and leadership and though I managed sensible conversation at partner meetings I was definitely not at my best.
My reflections lead me to these conclusions:
Yesterday was my brother and his wife’s 16th wedding anniversary. Sadly there were no celebrations, he and his children had spent the night before with us and the marriage is on extremely shaky grounds. Listening to our nearest and dearest pouring out their hearts about such things is difficult and seeing the effect on children is pretty heart wrenching. For them there has been years of arguments, of failing to listen to each other, above all there seems to be a lack of respect. Being in a relationship is tough, it takes work, it takes flexibility and understanding. The trouble is people often don’t realise what they have lost until it is pretty much too late. I really hope they can sort themselves out – for their own sakes and for the sake of the children, but right now the jury is out.
I have been thinking over my non posting weeks about this blog and why it has often been difficult to write even though I am often not short of ideas. I have come to the decision that it is the title of the blog that is wrong. I still work in the NHS, I still believe in the principle of the NHS, but actually my attitude to work has changed. I think I am going to need to change the title and focus of this blog, because work is not something that I want to write about all that much (though sometimes I might). Some changes are afoot – watch this space. Good news though is that I am back to blogging even if I am apparently unworthy due to my carbon footprint (see comment in my previous post). Personally I think that after the year I have had (fighting for the right salary, turned down for two jobs, mum too unwell to come away with me to mention a few things) I am not about to apologise for drinking bacardi in a hot tub that I didn’t heat and that will be heated if I sit in it or not; so there.
Snow in October, that is what we have had to deal with this week. Already battered by a global credit crisis, the potential loss of popular broadcasters to right wing media pressure, and various family crises I drove home on Tuesday in what can only be described as something of a blizzard. This is just not right. When we were told that the globe was warming, that climates were changing we were advised to look out for cities sinking into the sea and for intense heat. No one mentioned that we might need 24 hour heating in our houses in October, and that my lightweight autumn jacket (only recenly purchased) would be just too lightweight and not warm enough.
It seems only about 10 days ago that I was in Bodega Bay, enjoying sunny warm weather. That I was visiting the Redwoods, exploring the Sonoma wine valley, eating Burger and fries in a lesbian hotspot by the russian river and sitting in my hot tub drinking bacardi and coke. Perhaps in light of recent events (snow and marriage guidance advice to my brother) it was actually a dream. Soon I will awake just like on life on earth (I see that the US has its own series of this drama).
Seriously Northern California is great. There felt no better thing than driving in our convertible (with the heating on as it was slightly chilly particularly in the mornings), along those hairpin type roads with the wind in our hair. Can’t wait to go back even if it means 10 hours next to a sleeping man and jet lag!
When planning our trip, we always knew that we would be spending hubby’s 50th birthday in Vegas. He wanted it to be special, after all, when you get to that age you need to do something special (not that I will know much about that for a few years yet!). So we booked internal flights to and from Vegas and booked ourselves into a lakeside room at the Bellagio.
Every year when I pack for a holiday I mean to be more careful about what I take. I try to take only enough clothes and shoes to wear, but when you are visiting 3 places, doing different things and expecting different weather you have to take a variety – don’t you? I will admit here and now that I took too much stuff with me, and I was not alone; hubby was just as bad. I think this time though I will have learned my lesson, having packed and unpacked on this holiday a total of 5 times. Something also on our internal flight – the low budget airlines in the UK could learn something from Virgin America – flights on time or early, seats comfortable, leg room, great entertainment even for just an hour – who could ask for more?
So we checked into the hotel surprisingly speedily considering some of the reviews on trip advisor, and went up to our room which was spacious and had views over Paris, Planet Holywood and Bally’s to mention 3. We also had the lakeside view we had requested (and paid for) which meant we could watch the fountains every hour or more if we wanted. In the 5 years since my last visit to Vegas some changes were noticable – you can only put notes or cards into the slots these days, things seem more expensive than they were within the hotels, and the only people in the shops seemed to be Chinese people; given the state of the world wide economy I guess they are they only nation with money right now!
The following day was hubby’s birthday – he insisted on celebrating for as long as possible by declaring it was his birthday from midnight UK time and continuing the theme until midnight Vegas time. We were up early for a trip to the Grand Canyon by helicopter, then a noodle lunch in the MGM Grand and a few drinks in their Rouge bar. That night we ate at the top of the world (expensive though nice food and over quick service). All in all I think he had a great day.
Saturday morning was bright and sunny, but shock of shocks it was barely in the 60′s by the time we emerged to find breakfast and to pick up our Bette Midler tickets for that night’s show at Caesar’s Palace. All around us people were dressed (well shivering) in shorts, I guess the shops did good trade that day for jeans and trousers! That set the scene for the rest of the weekend, and I was pretty miffed when I received an email from my dad later that day telling me how warm the weather was at home.
So onto Bette Midler (great show), and a lazy Sunday wandering around the hotels (I particularly liked the Venetian), having a few drinks in the various bars and eating much too much.The hotels seemed busy, though the designer shops were often empty (maybe the current financial situation will make some of them think about the kind of shops they have within them) and the casinos were pretty busy as usual. Building work there continues a pace and lake mead is getting noticably less full (not much rain while vegas needs more water), yet there were ‘timeshare touts’ out trying to persuade you to go to a presentation in exchange for a future holiday, perhaps suggesting that they are struggling to fill the beds right now.
We had a great time in what is essentially disney land for grown ups!
When faced with a 10 hour flight you can do without an hour spent on the runway while various excuses about gangways and tugs are given out. At the other end long queues at immigration are an irritation (especially when you find yourself in the line behind a lone travellor Indian lady who apparently has lived in the UK for 20 years but speaks hardly any English. Eventually though, we were in the taxi and travelling through the streets of San Francisco (ok too much of a cliche).
By the time we had checked into our hotel and unpacked there was very little day light left. But it was quite obviously sunny and warm as we strolled Fisherman’s Wharf and found ourselves a bar for a drink. By 8pm though (4am back in blighty, and 23 hours since we had got out of bed) we felt the need to sleep. The next morning (thank goodness for the coffee maker and free internet in the holiday inn when you wake at 4am) we set off to explore the sites of the area. By 11am it was already pretty hot and we had covered much of the financial district, skirted around china town, been on our first cable car and made our way to the sea. In danger of peaking too soon we made our way back to Fisherman’s Wharf for some lunch and a bit of an afternoon snooze before heading out for dinner.
Most places where tourists go have somewhere that is a kind of unlikely attraction and I guess San Francisco has Alcatraz. Apparently the flies head there for 2 weeks a year, and of course even before we got onto the boat they were with us. Alcatraz is one of those places that is pretty unpleasant, yet iconic and a must visit place. I find it hard to imagine the place populated with men, living in those awful cells, but with the tour you experienced the sound effects and commentary that brought the whole thing unpleasantly alive. On the same day we did another boat tour (yes two in a day) around the bay and under the golden gate bridge, we were after all tourists and as such you must do touristy things.
The main things I will take from San Francisco are the steep hills (my feet hurt but it was good for the thighs), the great food we had there and the shopping, oh yes there was time for shopping. The pound may already have been on its way down but not so far that it made any difference, though of course teen son was at the front of our minds and now should have sufficient Levis and tee shirts to last him into next year!
So from a sunny and warm San Francisco we headed to the airport for our flight to Vegas for hubby’s 50th birthday. Vegas is always hot isn’t it? Well no actually it isn’t – part 2 tomorrow.
That just when you think you are winning, suddenly you are awake at 4.30am drinking hot chocolate and wondering why you aren’t sleeping. Not being a seasoned transatlantic traveller I managed to do a few things wrong. Firstly I let my hubby tell me that his normal window seat would be a good idea for our return 9 hour flight from San Francisco, this meant that I was pinned in the middle between him and a man who spent the entire journey (or would have done had I not woken him twice). Secondly I wasn’t tired at the start of the journey (I was calm and rested following my holiday and not suffering from any sleep deprivation) and so couldn’t sleep) and thirdly I went back to work too soon.
In this ‘back to blog’ post I am reporting my trip kind of from the wrong way round, but the last few days have made it difficult to think straight about the great time I had climbing hills in San Francisco, feezing in Vegas and watching the ocean in Bodega Bay (but if I am serious about the return to blogging then that will come). I guess I should say something about my lack of posts, now down to 1-2 a month. The time has come to either put up (posts that is) or shut up, although recently I have had more visitors in my absence than sometimes called by when I was posting daily! But no, actually I have lots to say, both about my recent experiences across the pond and my thoughts on the current state of play in the NHS. I just needed some time to get my thoughts back together, and back together they are. It is just that before 5am in the morning is not the time I would choose to do this, but I seem to be awake and so here I am.
We returned home on Tuesday morning, and strangely that felt like the middle of the night (we landed about 2am Pacific Time, so I guess that is accurate), ever since then I have struggled to understand why it is light when I would like to be asleep and visa versa. On my first day back (Wednesday was too soon) I lost my car park pass (luckily it was handed in by and honest soul), and I sat at my desk unable to do more than open and close emails and drink coffee. On the second day I realised jet lag was about a splitting headache, a complete inability to sleep at all even though you are extremely sleep deprived but I managed to sit through two meetings without falling asleep and without looking completely idiotic. By day 3, yesterday, I was reasonably normal (well normal for me) but now on Saturday morning I am awake too early (but ever hopeful of another hour before day light).
I know I have made promises before, but this time I mean it. I have lots to say and share. I have opinions on life in the good old US; somethings I loved, somethings I find slightly odd because I am a brit and somethings I think we could learn (even now). So I promise to return very soon. I leave you with a picture of the view from our rented house across the Pacific ocean, which actually is where I’d like to be right now, and where I’d take a 10 hour flight to, even pinned in the middle of the cabin and even allowing for jet lag!
That is the question I asked myself as I drove between meetings and wondered when I’d actually get some work done yesterday. I know that my current slightly befuddled state is partly my own fault. After all, there were times in the last few weeks when I chatted with colleagues when I could have done something more important, when I surfed the internet at lunch time or just before going home rather than writing that paper. But actually I think I am slightly suffering from the fact that I am off on holiday when everyone is back in work (hense the high number of meetings) and I must add to that my tiredness, stress at my mum’s recent illness which has led to me having to cancel their part of the holiday.
Yesterday everything culminated in a call at 6pm asking why I had missed my hair appointment! It was in my diary, but I convinced myself that I had put it in the wrong day and hadn’t quite found the time to check. Luckily they were able to rebook me for Friday, but suddenly I thought I might be travelling with my hair looking as much as a sight as I feel the rest of me looks.
Perhaps one or two good things might come out of the holiday just being the two of us. Firstly, and for the first time in many years we will have a holiday where we will not have to consider anyone elses needs. I would rather have my parents around sharing the experience with me but if that can’t happen, then I intend to enjoy myself. This has involved the ordinary kind of car my dad had booked being cancelled, and me booking us a Mustang Convertable for the final leg of our trip when we will be staying in a house overlooking the Ocean at Bodega Bay. I will have my laptop with me and am hoping to get back into posting onto my blog, because I have to face the fact that I have beome one dreadful blogger lately!
We have a sunny start to this morning, but I am no longer fooled. Just when I have to work every day of summer, it seems that summer has taken some kind of a holiday from us. The Brits love to discuss the weather, and boy are we having some weather to discuss. Sadly we are unable to grumble that it is just too hot for work, instead we are constantly dodging showers and what is more, I for one find it too cold for most of my summer clothes.
Summer in children’s services means few meetings, it means many part time staff are off for the whole of the school holidays and it means a time to catch up, to reflect and to look forward to the autumn agenda of work. My boss is currently away sitting by a pool or on the beach. Wherever she is, she has her blackberry with her. Last week she was in forwarding on emails for us to deal with mode, this week though we have turned a corner because she has been thinking and is now asking for updates on stuff on her return. I cannot see the appeal of working while away, other than if you actually were at work but chose to run your business / office from a beach while everyone else sweltered in said office. I wonder what her family think of it all.
The best thing though about working the whole time when others are away, is knowing that come October 5th it will be my turn, and I will be off for my US trip. Just when they are thinking of switching on the heating, I hope to get at least some sun, but also the chance to see a part of the world I haven’t seen before. What is sure though is that I won’t be emailing in to the office, wherever that office is. Because folks next week I have an interview, which guarantees that this blog will get at least 1 more post this month (and many more likely if I get the job). More of that in the coming days, I am off to enjoy the summer while I still can!
Is going back! Well no not really, but when you book time off, arrange that holiday or in my case a few days away, then you know that the days just before hand and those when you return to work are going to be busy and not a little stressful. This time the two days before involved my mum deciding to let her hypertension get the better of her and end up with double vision and numb fingers. An MRI scan showed a number of small infarcts. It could have been worse, much worse and what is more she could have been in Spain where she was due to go 5 days later. Thankfully, having visited and trusting my instinct that all would be well, we went off for our trip to Barcelona with my brother and sister in law. This involved leaving 17 year old teenage son to his own devices. Glad to say that also appears to have gone reasonably smoothly with no overt signs of damage and no neighbours queuing up to complain. What beer cans there were in the garden had been collected up and carefully tied up in two plastic bags; if they had remembered to put them in the recycling box then I might have been none the wiser. Ok so they shouldn’t have been drinking, but at least they were safely at home and not roaming the streets.
So back home after a wonderful time which involved some culture (though less sightseeing than I would have liked due to a) my brother declaring one day was enough b) the weather was lovely and there were beaches nearby and c) I was pretty weary and enjoyed the chance to relax a little. While away we celebrated our 24th anniversary (no I know I am not old enough but I was a child bride).
Back home we visited the sales, had lunch out with my parents (mum recently released from hospital, and looking better thankfully) and generally caught up on some walks, gardening and general chilling out.
So back to work. That blackberry is wonderful. I knew that I had 98 emails waiting but hadn’t been (very) tempted to look at them. There was a team meeting, a 92 page Darzi review of the NHS (yipee to that) and plenty of other stuff to read and to do. I am not yet enough out of holiday mode to review anything or to have an opinion on whether Darzi is wide of the mark with his suggestions. I am still in semi holiday mode. Tomorrow I have a day out to find out about maternal mental health, a new wonderful project to embark on. So there you have it, post 1 of 31 for July (you have to start off with optimism!
The picture above is of Gaudi’s unfinished Cathedral, an amazing site. I took my own pictures but haven’t up loaded them (laziness you know) mine have cranes and general evidence of building work so not sure if airbrushing has gone on here!
As little as 10 years ago who would ever have considered arranging their holiday / vacation themselves? At the very least we started off with a brochure, usually obtained from a travel agent (or occasionally requested by phone or a little form cut out of a newspaper). Then we visited our travel agent and spent an hour or two there while they checked availability, got us to decide on flights etc. and tried to sell us their own travel insurance. I do remember booking a holiday direct with a holiday company on the phone about 12 years ago, but for many people that was just not something they did. This kind of process is fine for those who want to travel for 2 weeks to the costa del whatever, stay in a hotel and then return, but less suitable for people for whom the holiday they want can’t easily be found on the page of a book.
Since I got my first computer the way in which people plan and book their holiday has changed beyond recognition, what is more, with sites like trip advisor you can find out what real people think of the places / hotels / resorts you have chosen. There is a wealth of advice out there, choice is one thing there is no shortage of. But it sure has turned into a time consuming business.
Hubby and I along with my parents, will be travelling to the west coast of the USA in October for hubby’s 50th birthday (you would think he would want to sit in a dark room but no) and he desires to spend the weekend of his birthday in Las Vegas. With 3 stages to the holiday there is a certain complexity. Even if I wanted them to, the brochures out there wouldn’t quite give us what we want. I have already done hours of reading my book about California (plus the book on Las Vegas I have now mislayed somewhere in the house but thats another story) and more hours looking at fligths to San Francisco, hotels in San Francisco, flights to Vegas and back and finally holiday houses on the coast. I have also spent time looking at the Vineyards of the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, because I would like to do a tour or two with a small amount of tasting thrown in.
Yesterday my parents came over for Sunday lunch, and between cooking roast beef etc. We went through all of my work to date, tracing the steps of the holiday and discussing exactly what would be our preferences. Now all that is left is to retrace all of these steps and actually book the thing. We are not rich people, and this is going to cost more than our average annual break, we will also be travelling pretty far from home so it is important to try at least to get things right.
The internet is a wonderful thing, it gives pleasure and freedom to do things like this, but you sure can lose hours of your day while trying to do something as simple as arranging a holiday. I must say though that now we have got this far, I am pretty excited about the prospect. Now all I need to do is get the 17 year old up to speed on his cooking and housekeeping abilities!
Since my last post on Friday I have been far too busy with real life to write any blog posts and when I haven’t been quite so busy I’ve been asleep or just plain knackered! When you have no social life, which most of the time I don’t then you forget that it is tiring, fattening but enjoyable. Maybe it might be true that if you are in your mid forties you are less able to as they say ‘burn the candle at both ends’ plus drink alcohol and dance without getting exhausted than you were in say your twenties. But maybe I just have no stamina. Here follows a bit of a diary like resume of the last few days:Saturday – Teen son, who at 17 seems unable to use a bus persuaded me to take him to town so that he could bank his birthday loot and have his birthday watch adjusted to fit his skinny wrists. Being the kind mother, who needed to buy a couple of things I of course did my duty, getting back just before we were due to leave for our weekend away. Hubby and I managed to get away shortly before 2pm and reached Rochester shortly after 3pm. A nice hotel actually, closely situated to Asda in case you might need any shopping (I didn’t). We unpacked, then headed to the bar for a couple of drinks before heading off to the shower and getting into the glad rags. Hubby scrubbed up well and looked pretty good in his dinner suit. In to the bar at 6.15 (early, yes I know) we met up with the cousins and aunt and uncle, had another drink then headed into the function room. My mistake here was not to appreciate that the food portions would be bordering on tiny and therefore not to adjust the amount of red wine already going down my throat. Still at the time this did not seem to be much of an issue. After dinner there was dancing, a raffle at which I won a smoothie maker (and a good one at that). Hubby who had worked in the morning only made it to around 11.30, but I didn’t get to bed until almost 1am.
Sunday – It was immediately clear that I had a hangover. Sadly I had no analgesia with me and Asda does not open till about 10am on a Sunday or I’d have gone shopping. Breakfast in the hotel was a bit of an anticlimax, it looked good and certainly the sausages tasted good but the rest of it was cold. Plus my body could only really cope with coffee (4 cups of it helped) and toast. If only I ever followed my own advice about the evils of drink, because then I’d never be hung over again!
We left the hotel just after 10 and headed west and then south until we reached Shaftesbury. We passed Stonehenge along the way, but hubby refused to stop on account of it being just a ‘load of stones’. What can you say to that. There followed a great family afternoon (mine this time), with my god mother who is now 70 and many of my aunts, uncles and cousins. We all met in a pub (diet coke for me), had sunday lunch in my cousin’s cafe and then chatted, ate birthday cake and chatted more. Just after 7pm we set off home, hubby in the back of the car as he apparently needed sleep (beer, his football team losing plus general tiredness) and teen son (who had arrived with my parents) in the front. An hour later and travelling down a dark road I don’t know we apparently ran over a nail or some other sharp object and got ourselves a puncture. What followed was a bit of a saga; fed up slightly enibriated hubby who wanted to sleep but instead found himself in the middle of a dark cold place changing a tire, a spare wheel that Reuault seems to want to keep located under the car rather than where it needed to be, me who managed to park up on a grass verge and who apparently drove over a nail on purpose and a calm and helpful teenager who now knows how to change a tyre.
Monday – Rather than remain in bed as I would have liked, I set off bright and early to be reminded how to facilitate a course (this takes place tomorrow and Friday). Learning stuff, having to pay attention and having to drive an hour each way doesn’t make you any less tired than you already are. Hubby was just as happy as ever when I got home since he needed 3 tyres for various reasons and is now £200 lighter.
Tuesday – We both took a day’s annual leave to go out with my brother and sister in law to see the Al Murray pub landlord TV programme being made in London. Today’s sagas included delayed and cancelled trains (apparently a fatality up the line), 2 hours spent queuing in the freezing cold close to the thames, and my sister in laws constant complaints about everything (ranging from my brother to the distance between the train lines on the underground and train delays being caused by this Labour government!). Al Murray though was good and perhaps I might be seen on TV on Friday!
So there you have it. Life has been fun, I have experienced a little drama and stood in the cold too many times. I ache right now, and could do with more sleep – roll on the weekend!
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