Diary for Debbie does...round the world


Easter Monday and the rest of the week

2009-04-13 to 2009-04-19

Had a great sleep in on Easter Monday. After messing around and doing the washing etc went to Finchley Road by bus (Jubillee line closed for works) to get my groceries. Met Nancy there afterwards as they owed me  money for the rental car and we sat and chatted for hours. Then back to the box and messed around again tidying up and watching TV. Spent ages sorting out cheap airfares to Prague to send to the others - of course found the best one by far last after an hour of internet searches. Emailed the others the choices.

Got the go ahead from the others re airfares to Prague and on Tuesday night went to book them and had gone up by 20 pounds to 133 pounds each. After consulting by phone with the others we decided to go ahead and book and they then had gone down to 122 pounds. Booked for all 5 of us. Then booked Paris for Nancy, Andrew and I (Liz and scott already booked) - got the eurostar booked ok and then we decided we would stay in the same 4 star hotel as the others as anything else I looked at was only 20 pounds per person per night difference so we decided to treat ourselves. The only really annoying thing was that i was putting the trips on my credit card for everyone as want to get some more AMEX points as very near to a return airfare to London - the stupid site accepts Amex and Mastercard but of course wouldnt accept my AMEX and then my second choice of Mastercard. However it did accept my low interest visa for which I get no points for. It was very frustrating.

Very busy week at work - in fact too busy. It has been soured a bit for me since being told I couldnt take time in lieu as at least its an incentive for me to work hard and do more than my share. However saying that I am sticking to my work to rule and am enjoying the 50 minute lunch breaks. The computers crashed on Wednesday afternoon and we had none from 1400 and also the next morning until 1100. Not helped that all my clients phonenumbers are in the computer so messed around doing some things. Had a further training on Thursday morning on our case note system in Wandsworth Town. Took the Jubilee line to waterloo and then train to Wandsworth Town. arrived an hour early so had taken my book and sat happily reading in Starbucks for an hour. Then to training which we couldnt do as had no computers. Went to the post office and was remarkably quiet so was finally able to post a parcel to Carol - cannot believe wee Jaspar is now nearly 5 weeks old. Wasnt too appalled by the cost of postage but here in the UK they go by weight not size so was lucky that although big it weighed just under 2 kilos. the rest of Thursday was a nightmare and went back to training Friday morning and then the afternoon at work was a worst nightmare. One client shouting abuse at me - although used to this and then she hung up on me 3 times which was annoying as each time I was about to hang up. it seems to me that although people can have a moderate to severe learning disability that they can be as manipulative and cunning as the rest of us. Fortunately my 1500 client who didnt turn up to 1600 was very sweet and lovely. Then another disaster with another client - left work at 1730 not being able to do any more but leaving the poor mother in a tenuous state that either could settle down or not. At least Friday evening on TV has NCIS and CSI so with a couple of rum and cokes I was set.

One of the days on the way home the tube was held in a tunnel for 30 minutes - fortunately i had a seat and a magazine. The problem was that a man had taken ill on a train several stops ahead. the ambulance was there but he refused to get off the train to be treated so he held up the entire network of rush hour traffic. Fortunately the train driver who was relaying all this information to us was fairly humourous and I found him quite amising although most around me were fairly humourless about it all.

Saturday I washed the sheets and towels. Went for a walk to Cricklewood to get all my heavy stuff as starting to run out of cleaning products - walked home and gave my arms a good workout. Decided i was suffering a bit from cabin fever in my box so decided I would shift everything around - this took about an hour and I was reasoanbly pleased with the amount of space I created. Unfortunately the TV has to stay where it is because of the aerial cable so will need to buy a solid box or something to sit it up a bit higher on the bedside cabinet. Everything else fitted in extremely well and on waking this morning I am very happy with it and wish I had done it sooner. I now have some floor space where at a pinch two people could stay (well if I had something for them to sleep on). Also watched a little bit of rugby - Gloucester vrs Cardiff - made a bit special as two former Canterbury players were playing - in opposing teams - Ben Blair and Greg Sommerville. Made home seem a little  closer.

Sunday i have continued with a relaxing theme. Updated the blog from Easter this morning and then went to Finchley road Sainsbury this afternoon. Shared the tube back with Everton supporters going to Wembley for the FA Cup semifinal against Manchester United. Wembley Stadium is 10 mins by tube from where I live. I do wish i knew someone to go to these big games with as would love to go to experience the atmosphere. Was devastated to find out earlier this week that the London Sevens are on the weekend I am in Paris. Although saying that I see NZ have been pretty crap this season and I would only want to go if they won. The weather was still pleasant when I got home so unpacked the groceries and packed up a drink and nibbles and took myself off to the park to read in the sun for several hours. Then back home to watch the game (mentioned above) which Everton won in a penalty shoot out.