Today I've mostly bin...

[Bunnylump]

Went down to the Hillingdon Headteachers' conference in Sandbanks. OH was playing in his band at the evening do - and one of the regular band members was a primary school head until last year, and they had a guest member playing guitar and singing who is still a head teacher. Consequently, we all went down (the girlies too) for the evening.

We were staying in the very posh Haven Hotel, which is RIGHT next to the sea - there is a giant conservatory out the back and a patio bit where you can sit, which is directly next to the floodlit, crashing waves. We had a very nice three course meal and then got to dress up in posh frocks (the girls, that is, not the men!!) and join in with the dancing. (Or more correctly in my case randomly cavorting around and crashing into people...! )

Today, the 8 of us went out for a walk along the beach, across the ferry, and then continuing along the coast towards Old Harry. We WERE having a nice walk (despite being pretty much blown along) UNTIL...
we came to a part where a concrete slipway came down to the little sliver of beach we were walking along, as the tide came in. The beach and the slipway formed a sort of corner "ditch", which was rapidly being covered by crashing waves, and which was right next to some gabions, which were helpfully covered in barbed wire. Everyone took it in turns to wait until the sea was just drawing back, and then to run to the slipway. Unfortunately, the sea was coming in faster and more violently than we thought, and first of all Jackie tried to jump over, stuck her hand out to the gabion to stop herself slipping, and gored her hand on the barbed wire. A really nasty, deep gouge.

I took a running jump just after her, got caught by a wave, slipped, and landed flat, face down, on the concrete slipway in the water. Most of my weight landed on my bad knee and I also landed on my right wrist. I jolted my shoulders and back, and had SOAKING jeans.

The long and the short of this unfortunate incident is that we hobbled to a nearby hotel, called Jackie a taxi to take her to a cottage hospital to have tetanus injections and sutures, and I hobbled, soaking wet to the pub. I sat by the open fire, nursing my various injuries, steaming as the water dried slightly from my freezing cold, soaking clothes. Still, after a nice pub lunch and lots of medicinal real ale, I started to see the funny side of it all. Jackie and Dave returned from the hospital and she had been successfully patched up too, so all was well in the end.

Believe it or not though, it was still fun. Honestly.

Although ouch, ooh, everything hurts and I am going to be black and blue for a while...

[LAT]

Ouch!
Hope there's no lasting damage to either of you.

[MBH]

(How many can I get away with?)

.... and you lot worry about ME? Please

I hope everyone IS all right, and all safe. Look after yourself and don't over-do things this weekend. x

[Bunnylump]

Thank you for your good wishes.

And I'm allowed to worry about YOU. If I worried about ME then I'd be a nervous wreck by now. And ouch, it hurts to type. I've split my thumbnail vertically right from top to bottom and my little finger is about twice its proper size as well. I keep noticing new bits that hurt... Mind you, I do feel a lot better now I've had a hot bath. It's not great to spend six hours in cold, wet trousers.

However, Jackie's thinking positive. She's been told that she's not allowed to get her dressings wet for a week, and then she needs to avoid using the hand as much as possible for a few weeks. To her this equates to meaning Dave has to do all the hoovering... See? There's an upside to everything...

[gill216]

... Having a really expensive week. OH lost his keys. He knows where he lost them and there is no identification on them, (in the college which has 5 floors and numerous rooms and he has to check them all before he locks up the building- with the keys that were on a seperate ring) but no-one has handed them in. The car key alone is £131.50 to replace. House keys, boat key, caravan key, shed keys bike lock keys -all gone. Some we've had cut from my set but for others replacement locks are going to be needed.

Then last night our neighbours son was locked out. He came to borrow taxi money so he could get to where his mum was out dining ( He's 19) so he could get her key. I volunteered to give him a lift the couple of miles down the road and on the way back decided to fill up with petrol. Then I discovered I didn't have my bank card. I know where I left it, Tesco in Withernsea was the last place I used it. Except they've returned it to the bank who have destroyed it and I need a new one. No problem, I have other cards- BUT- I needed that card to collect tickets from the station and that is just tough luck. No card no tickets -so I've just spent another £68 to replace them. And I'm now off to collect them immediately!!!

[strep98]

.... losing will to live

AS some of you know I'm trying to buy a house, but I can't complete until I get a provisional driving licence or passport. So I apply for the driving licence (£50), I get a letter today back from them because I sent my birth certificate (with maiden name) and payslip (will married name on) not good enough. I need to send my marriage certificate (Not got as it was taken when my divorce papers were issued) OK send the decree, but oh wait it is in my maiden name so that is no good either. I ring the DVLA who tell me to get the licence in my maiden name, but I can't as I won't be able to sign for the house in that name, so he say change my name by deed poll

I've just ordered another marriage certificate!!!!!!!

Rant over sorry everyone

[LAT]

Dear oh dear. What a hassle. Hope you get it all sorted out in time to complete the house purchase.

[Bunnylump]

Oh, Gill, what a nightmare! Why do things like that always happen in BATCHES? I've never understood that particular rule of sod.

And Strep - my heart goes out to you, poor dear. As if you haven't got enough rubbish to deal with at the moment without various authorities refusing to accept WHO you are. Hope you manage to get it all sorted out ok.

I've spent the whole day trying to catch back up with all the jobs I haven't managed to get done because of a long 4 days at work followed by a day off. And I still don't have any food in the house. It's not been easy doing things like cleaning the kitchen and the bathroom when every part of my body aches. The pain seems to have moved on from extremeties (knees, hand, wrist) to shoulders, back, neck. I suppose it was the jolt as my considerable weight hit the concrete at high speed. Sorry to keep moaning, but I am feeling quite sorry for myself now. I'll shut up now.)

[strep98]

You need a long soak and a strong drink that will make you feel better. I'm off to find the stong drink first

[chazzie]

Good advice Strep - hope you get it all sorted soon. Bunny - wise words from Strep!!! Surely you have perfect excuse for taking things easy?? Gill - hope that's the end of Sod!!!

[eirian]

... having a good, but tiring, day taking the photos for a friend's wedding. They'd booked a wedding at this time of year knowing that the weather was likely to be awful, and therefore they wouldn't be upset if it rained. Instead, it was glorious sunshine all day. Got a lot of good photos, so now comes the sorting and photoshopping myself back into the group photos I should have been in!
It was a really good day - very relaxed. They will still be going strong, but since they'd reached the evening do, where the music starts blaring and too many people have had a bit too much to drink, we decided to use Thomas (left with his grandparents for the day) as an excuse and leave. Think I might have an even-earlier-than-usual night!

[LAT]

Sounds good eirian, definitely time to put your feet up and relax.

Yesterday I rang an accountancy employment agency to enquire about registering with them. Half way through explaining what I did and what I wanted I was asked "are you a qualified accountant?" answer " yes, but I'm really looking for a lower powered job" only to be told that she couldn't deal with me, I had to go to their department that specialised in qualified accountants jobs. She wouldn't be moved on this so I rang the other person only to be told "sorry but we don't really deal with those sort of jobs". I suggested that maybe I therefore needed a different agency as they obviously couldn't help me. I gave up when she started spluttering incoherently, unable to explain how they could help me.
The next agency I rang was much more helpful.

[Bunnylump]

EIRIAN That does sound like a good day, were you the only photographer? If so, that is quite a responsibility!!

LAT That is REALLY irritating, isn't it? But if they were that rubbish you wouldn't want to deal with them anyway, would you?

[gill216]

Gill - hope that's the end of Sod!!!

Nope- the tooth I might have lost (and didn't) when I had it's neighbour extracted a few weeks ago has decided to break in half tonight. Looks like its soup again until Monday. Plus another bill of course.

[Bunnylump]

Oh dear, sod is really in operation in the Gill household.

[gill216]

Perhaps sod will go away on Thursday. I'm going to do my my good deed of the year. Wallpapering mothers half started rooms that she cant finish. I loved this bit. It started out as toilet and bathroom but becausee I said I'd finish them for her she's stripped the kitchen as well. So instead of 5 1/2 rolls of contour (horrible stuff to put up and the glue stinks) I now have 10!!! And 3 ceilings to paint first.

[LAT]

Oh dear Gill you're not having a good weekend are you?

Want to do any decorating for us?

[Bunnylump]

Well, if you're getting in the swing of decorating, I've still got Dibble's room no 1 still unfinished...

[gill216]

Perhaps I've found myself a new trade I can go around decorating peoples houses for bed and board!

[Bunnylump]

I take it that means you will be moving in with your mother for a while?