Rachfishop

Thank you for your comments, I really appreciate you taking the time to make some suggestions.

Sorry to hear about the bother at work. I'm an HR Manager so can't resist the chance to wade in with unsolicited suggestions, sorry :-) You should have the chance to comment on the appraisal. I did comment on my last appraisal, but my comments were perceived as me being dissatisfied with my appraisal and none of my points were agreed with .If not, you can send them a very nice and factual letter saying that you're concerned about the appraisal and outlining the positive things that you have done for them, the challenges you've had in delivering in your job (you've mentioned a few of them here), your health challenges and that you're not sleeping as a result of the appraisal. When I pointed out some of the challenges I face in my job, I was told they were of my own making and that if I did my job correctly I wouldn't have any problems. Where my health is concerned, the suggestion is that I leave if I cannot cope. Not to start anything, just for the record :-) Obviously not mentioning any problems that you have with any individual or suggesting that any individual might be to blame / less than competent, or anything else that could be used against you. Ask for a copy to be stored on your file and then ask HR for a quiet chat We have an HR person, but like the Union rep, is no help when there are problems. (I'm guessing you'll have one somewhere at the council?) Good luck and as someone else said don't let the barstewards grind you down.

This time I haven't made any comments in my defense and have only commented to point out a few mistakes. I think I need to consider taking legal advice in the near future.

Lovely Saturday

DGD stayed last night, this morning we did some sewing & some baking, I took her home around lunch time.
In the garden, we have indoor & outdoor tomatoes ripe, tomorrow we will have HG cabbage, rubber beans & potatoes with our lunch.
I'm trying not to think about work though I'm still not sleeping well, I've had a couple of Nana naps this afternoon.
I've written 2 more stories for the Light & Shade challenge, one for each prompt, I'm really enjoying writing, it keeps my mind busy.

Mid Year Appraisal

I'm still crap, lol. The appraisal is full of inconsistencies, mistakes & some outright bollocks.

Roll on 10pm

My fingers ache all the way to my elbows & my ankles & knees are on fire.
I took DGS to an afternoon activity & then returned him home, we had to walk part of the way as there had been a car accident & the road was closed. No one was injured & only one car was involved, it's a quiet residential road, but somehow someone had rolled their car on to it's roof, I assume they were going too fast.
At 10 I shall collect my L&M from work, once home I shall take some painkillers & go to bed!
I worked 7:30 'til 5, my L&M from 12 'til 10 we are both knackered.

Playing silly bugger

Blogger is playing silly buggers, it's only showing one post in my blog feed, I'm not the only person having problems, I really hope they sort it out.
I've just had a visit from DD & the babies, they are growing fast & coming on well.
I've started another blog to post my stories on, so this one has been neglected for a couple of days.
It's my DD's b'day soon & I commissioned this watercolour, it was done from some photo's I took of her dogs, I hope she likes it.

Light & Shade

My latest story for the light & shade can be found here.
http://pollythepirate.blogspot.co.uk/

Blissful weekend

Apart from my L&M working Saturday morning it's been a blissful weekend, the weather has been glorious. All my washing has been line dried, meals have been simple, nookie has been plentiful.
I've seen both my daughters & all my DGC's, I've had a cwtch with the twins.
I'm now sat on the sofa with my L&M beside me, I have a lap full of sewing & a triple bill of Agatha Christie on the TV.

Twins

Challenge

I am attempting to write stories for the http://lightandshadechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/
I will post these on my other blog, so people don't get confused between my usual ramblings & the stories I will write. DGD has requested a story about a lady pirate & DGS has requested a story about a dinner lady with with special powers!

Wedding Anniversary

It was our third wedding anniversary on 18th, my L&M bought me:-

A beautiful bouquet

These earrings & a necklace that I cannot get a clear picture of. He also took me out for a meal.

What did I gt him? absolutely nothing, boy was I in the dog house, but to be fair we don't usually do much for our anniversary. I did make it up to him the following evening. I cooked him steak & chips & gave him a massage.

Veg Box

Linking up with Light & Shade challenge

I looked listlessly at the small box of ‘organic’ vegetables that had just been delivered to my door; it did not look as tasty and delicious as the box had on the leaflet that had been pushed through my door a few weeks ago. But then again the delivery man also didn’t looks as tasty & delicious as the one on the leaflet, my delivery man was pleasant enough, but was a small shrivelled pensioner, a bit like the vegetables that were also shrivelled & elderly. In fact it may have been the appeal of the Brad Pitt lookalike on the leaflet that had tempted me to order a weekly veg box anyway.  Let’s face it neither my husband or my teenage sons eat vegetables except under duress, they pick the carrots out of my beef casserole, scream at the sight of a mushroom , treat broccoli as though it is poisonous & only eat the onions in my cottage pie because the onions are grated & they can’t see them.

I’m not sure whether it was the fantasy of illicit sex with the organic vegetable delivery driver or the fantasy of my family falling with joy on my home cooked healthy meals full of vegetables that made me place the order. Both are equally unlikely, but the illicit sex fantasy is more appealing. I checked the clock on the wall, I had an hour before the family would arrive home. I made a decision, the veg box went in the bin, I took a frozen pizza from the freezer  & I went upstairs to have a luxurious bath & put on my red silk basque & black stockings, the boys wouldn’t notice what I was wearing under my usual clothes, but my husband would & we could have an early night & enjoy some none illicit sex together.

Light & Shade

I wrote this last week intending to join in with the light & shade challenge by Lyssa Medana & Thomas Marlow, I follow the challenge but this is the first piece I've finished. I should have linked it to their blog, but a) I'm a week late & b) it's an inappropriate subject!

I don’t know what it is used for, though I daresay it would take some rubbing to get it out of the carpet

- Bill Bryson, Mother Tongue, footnote Chapter 10

The rules were quite clear, everyone received a copy of the rules along with the address & directions once they had paid their deposit.
I don't want to sound like Monica from Friends, but some rules, even at a party are necessary, and despite many people assuming that a sex party should have no rules I beg to differ. In fact I think rules are more important at a sex party.
The rules clearly state 'No sexual intercourse downstairs, please use the playrooms upstairs.
This rule is in place for two reasons, firstly so as to ensure that a nervous newbie to the swinging scene isn't going to be scared away on their first visit by being faced with full on fornication whilst enjoying a quiet drink.
Secondly to protect the furniture & carpets in my home.
I surveyed the sticky mess ruefully & thought 'It's going to take some rubbing to get it out of the carpet,.

Tranquility

Whilst the world is going to hell in a hand basket around him this is where my L&M finds peace & tranquility.

For Fathers Day, my Dad's war record

First Name:	Albert Thomas
Initials:	A
Surname:	Robinson
Nationality:	British
Rank:	Corporal
Service Number:	1498941
Gallantry Awards:	Military Medal This Level 3 Gallantry Medal was established during the First World War on the 25th March 1916 and introduced in the London Gazette issue 29535, (back dated to 1914) to personnel of the British Army and other services, and personnel of Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank. It was the other ranks' equivalent to the Military Cross (M.C.), (which was awarded to Commissioned Officers and, rarely, to Warrant Officers, who could also be awarded the M.M.). The military decoration was awarded to Albert Thomas Robinson for acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire or for individual or associated acts of bravery which were insufficient to merit the Distinguished Conduct Medal. He was with a small team of men, they were trapped behind enemy lines whilst re-establishing signals contact  with their regiment, he lead his team to safety. Conferment of the medal was announced in the London Gazette and Albert Thomas Robinson earned the right to add the letters M.M. to his name. He saw duty in  He saw duty in the Middle East (including Egypt, East Africa, Western Desert, Sudan, Greece, Crete, Syria & Tobruk

A boast & a whinge

First the boast: 
I'm very grateful that I am adaptable. We have someone off sick at work for a couple of weeks, we are all taking turns to do her job until she returns to work, I do half an hour a day, it's not much but her job is completely different from mine, using a software I don't usually use & it involves 1 to 1 with the students. I'm floundering a bit sometimes but it's not really difficult. The work is divided up so that everyone does the job for 2 & a half hours a week.
Unfortunately this is causing one team member lots of stress, she uses the software daily so that isn't the problem, she already spends time every day dealing with the students so that isn't the problem either. She just cannot cope with the change to her routine, with having to sit at a different desk, with having sit with different team members. I feel so sorry for her, she's finding it very difficult. She has upset other staff by doing her best to avoid doing her share so I'm so very glad I'm adaptable.

Secondly the whinge: 
I can't help feeling that if some people spent less time whinging about their kids/life on FB & less time uploading hundreds of pics of them & if they spent more time parenting, they might end up with less problems to whinge about!

Every penny counts

I was paid £5 today for a very simple repair I did for some one & I have a lovely lodger this weekend. He's a huge friendly Labrador, he's here 'til Sunday. I took him for a walk along the river bank, he went for a paddle, I didn't. He's now snoring gently on his bed at my feet, I will be paid £24 for 2 days of walks & cuddles. Mind you if he carries on farting I may charge double!

Up to my arse in alligators

But still paddling hard.
Legal action is being considered with regards to MIL's poor treatment.
There is 'stuff' going on at work that means I'm extra busy, I've also been asked to cover another job for an hour a day, I'm looking forward to this as it will be interesting.
DS visited yesterday, it was lovely to see him but during our conversation he reminded me that my car will not pass it's MOT this year, there is nothing new wrong with the car, but a change in rules mean that a broken sensor that hasn't constituted a fail before now, will mean a fail this year.
This isn't that important in the great scheme of things, my L&M & I are both due some small amounts of money from various places soon & we could buy another car. Unfortunately we don't get the money until August, so how do we manage for 8 weeks with MIL being terminally ill & the only way to get to her is via a 2 & half hour bus journey & a 20 minute walk each way!
We've looked into a bank loan, but they will only lend us the money over a long period so they can make lots of money in interest, it's a dilemma, I'll let you know if I come up with an answer!

Bad news

MIL is terminal, nothing can be done for her, the cancer is too far advanced. If they hadn't treated her with antibiotics for 9 months telling her is was a urine infection there could have been a better outcome.

I'm not clever but I'm ugli

I've had a lovely if exhausting few days. Thursday after work I was asked to step in as a local pub quiz team was short handed, I joined them & we won! The team were delighted & credited me with being responsible for the win.
I'm not spectacularly clever but whilst a lot of people could answer the TV questions & the sports questions, I often know the weirdest facts. The questions I answered that no one else knew were:- 
Who invented the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster?
What is cilantro known as in the UK?
Who, in history, allegedly had a vestigial finger?
What fruit was created by hybridising grapefruit, orange & tangerine?
We won by 4 points & we were the only team to answer those 4 questions.

It was a good evening & it took my mind off my Dr's appointment on Friday morning. I didn't get home 'til after 11:30 on Thursday & was up about 5 in the morning, my L&M was on the early shift last week.
The Dr's appointment was ok, 2 more  referrals, one to audiology as I mentioned that I was trouble hearing conversations, he checked my ears, there was no sign of wax or infection, but he said my ear drums look a bit motheaten, that made me laugh. 

Friday after work I took DGD Norah to Gym club, then both Norah & Eileen came for a sleepover. Thanks to my L&M playing Hide & Seek & Scary Monsters the girls were hyper & giggly & it was gone 10 before the little buggers fell asleep & then only after I'd gone in, read them the riot act & threatened a withdrawal of treats if they didn't behave. Because we both have child protection training at work & also because of dealing with the DGC's who are LAC, we are very careful when we play, my L&M will never hide with the DGC's, he will hide them in a wardrobe or cupboard & he will hide elsewhere, or he hides & the girls & I look for him.

Eileen woke at 1:30 needing the toilet & and again at 3 as she couldn't find her blankie, both times she went straight back to sleep, unfortunately I had a sneezing fit just after 3 & came downstairs 'til 5:30, at 6:50 she's bouncing up & down at my bedroom door, saying 'I'm awake Nana, can we do cooking now'. I persuaded her to wait 'til we'd taken my L&M & then my DD to work.

We started cooking about 9:30, we made 12 iced cakes with Disney toppers & 12 blueberry muffins. The cooking was accompanied by music as I was stupid enough to by Eileen a whistle & it took way longer to clear up after the cooking than it did to make & ice the cakes. We also did some sewing, we made a mini version of the Frozen dress for a cloth doll that Norah & I made a few weeks ago.

After I dropped the girls home & collected hubby from work I managed to get 3 loads of washing dry, retouched my roots to hide the grey & had a much needed Nana nap.

Random Ramblings

A day of good & bad.
Ang, before I forget, I loved your 'Be affrayed' pun, so funny.
This morning it mizzled, the stuff between mist & drizzle, this afternoon glorious sunshine & we sat in the garden for a while after work.
I was up by 4:30, I'm not sleeping well I may feel better after Friday, I may not.
Busy & stressful at work, being a machine down is like working with one hand tied behind my back.
Someone at work gave me some raspberry canes, my L&M will plant them tomorrow.
My poor L&M is working 10 hour days at the moment due to staff shortages.
Another work colleague gave me a bag full of notions, tape, ribbon, poppers & buttons etc.
I sold my over locker, I'm sad to see it go, but I can't see to use it, so someone might as well get some use out of it.
The day will finish nicely though as hubby is playing music, legover music so an early night is on the cards!

Groundhog day

I arrived at work just before 7am & as usual, after a holiday, two machines were down & one was struggling, I managed to resuscitate one of them & do a temporary repair on one, I called the engineer out to the third. The engineer arrived promptly, & managed to get all the machines working to a degree though one has only limited functionality. It was non-stop busy all day, so the day passed quickly, just as well as I didn't leave until 4pm.
DD phoned to tell me that Eileen wore her Frozen dress to the library & the Dr's & shed glitter everywhere profusely.
I came across a novel form of contraception in the local petrol station this afternoon. I was filling my car up with petrol when another car drew up to another pump, the driver immediately opened the car door & let his two children, aged around 2 & 5 out of the car to run around the petrol pumps & across to the kiosk & back, this is a really busy petrol station with 14 pumps & most were in use. How neither child was injured was a miracle & mainly down to the quick reactions of the driver who managed to drive around the running children. The stupidity of some parents amazes me!

Make do & mend

We have had a lovely sunny day here today, the grass has been cut, gardening has been done, potatoes & carrots dug up for lunch & cabbage picked too.

I've vacuumed up glitter yet again, read my kindle & done some sewing.

I finished this little dress for DGD Eileen, I made it from a skirt of mine.

I also dismantled a dress I bought from a charity shop, see pic below, it's my size, but is way too long & if I shorten it I will lose the flared hem & the pattern at the bottom of the dress. Instead I have taken out the zip and separated the bodice from the skirt, I've shortened the skirt by about 4 inches from the top of the skirt, I'm now putting it back together again.