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Talisman

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Everything posted by Talisman

  1. Thankfully I got it yesterday and have another 2 days off now, as it's my weekend off. Even though the CRB has still not materalised, I know that it could be any time now, and once it does, I will be gone within a month, so that means another 6 weeks probably at the most. Having said that, 6 weeks still seems like eternity when it has been as bad as it has. I have always served as a bit of catalyst in the jobs I have had, so it is interesting now I am starting to make my voice heard a little louder, to see others doing the same. Our maintenance man is rapidly reaching the same point, as is the head chef, and one of the other housekeepers. If any one of them leaves (ley alone all three) then all hell really will break loose, not that I will be there to see it. The Director though has only himself to blame - he thinks that I am some stupid cleaner who doesn't see things or understand, but I see and hear everything loud and clear and understand far more than he could ever know. Coran and I have a quiet day planned anyway. We are going to the cemetry later on to put some flowers on Mum's grave (it was 13 years yesterday since she passed away), and will go for a nice walk across the Downs and back to the catering van for a cuppa. It's cold but I will be nice and cosy in my winter walking trousers and Merino T shirt - I hope to get some more trousers later on courtesy of E-bay !
  2. Thanks Chrissy. I am feeling a lot better after a few hours sleep. To be honest, I think it was just sheer exhaustion that was making me feel that way. A couple of days off will no doubt do wonders to replenish my energy levels.
  3. I am sure that other countries will be keeping an eye on things to see whether it makes a difference, and if it does, then maybe we will see similar policies implemented elsewhere.
  4. At the moment it is all just too overhwhelming. The combination of a week from hell at work, and the 13th anniversary of my Mum's death has proven just a ltitle too much. After a sleepless night tossing and turning, I was far too exhausted to go to work today, so am having a quiet day at home before my weekend off. Those cracks then are about to get a bit wider ...
  5. Well I for one hope it goes quickly, as the sooner I can get out of this job the better. I was once again the only housekeeper in today, the other one having phoned in sick. Our kitchen assistant also had to go home as he was being sick, so guess who had to do the job of 3. It seems to me that all we are doing at this place is continually papering over the cracks. The Director doesn't care one iota about the staff, and they know it, so his attitude towards them filters down to the extent that they no longer care about anything either, and they are surprised that I want to leave ! Now that I am leaving I have got to the point where I am past caring, and I say let those cracks open up as wide as possible, as this is the only way that things will change for those that do choose to remain. I therefore resolved to work as slowly as possible doing only the absolute essentials, and put the dishwasher on a long wash cycle so that the rest of the staff were forced to help. It is important after all that the dishes are washed properly - infection control and all that - there is an epidemic of norovirus in a lot of other hospitals and homes and we don't want to take any risks ... While most did rally round and do what they could, two of the carers refused to help, stating their hands and arms were causing them problems - it didn't stop them doing their own jobs though. Strange that, as people weigh a lot more than dirty dishes ! Our new Manager is it seems going to have one hell of a job on her hands to get this lot into line - at the moment it seems to me that they are acting like spoilt children who are testing the boundaries to see how far they can go. Imo she needs to lay down some very firm ground rules as quickly as possible. I have a good relationship with her fortunately, so can say these things, and I have ! The chef did too ...
  6. While I am not against the idea, I can't help wondering whether this is really the answer. Surely we need to look at what makes people so miserable and fed up that they feel the need to drink this amount in the first place. It is change in attitude that is needed, similar to what has happened with smoking, whereby drinking to excess is no longer socially acceptable. I can see though that a minimum price may well help towards achieving this, so am keeping an open mind.
  7. I know what you mean Brian - I have to get up at 5.55am for my job and am permanently tired - I sometimes feel that I could sleep for a whole month. That will be one of the best things about my new job, the fact that is a much later start and finish (no more going out in the afternoons spending money on tea and cakes, and no more watching crap on TV when the weather's bad either). Coran and I went out for tea and cake this afternoon as it happens, and thought of an interesting acronym for my soon to be ex boss (he doesn't yet know that is facing eviction) - Annally Retentive Supervisory Executive ! He does after all spend most of his time talking out of the body part that represents the first word !
  8. I would probably go with Mo Farrah - or perhaps Sarah Storey, who is after all the most decorated Paralympian.
  9. You may not think that you will buy and read that many e-books, but experience has shown (and a quick look through some of the other related threads on here will confirm this) that many who thought this have rapidly become Kindle converts and have found like myself that their reading has doubled if not more.
  10. The Birdie Song
  11. A limited edition boxed set of over 170 songs from the Philadelphia International label, which I am really exicted about. I have a lot of them on vinyl already, but these are CDs, and the set also contains a lot of songs that I don't already have. More than 12 hours of llistening in total for the bargain price of £47 - I can't wait to receive this one !
  12. Great news Muggle ! I am still waiting for my CRB and hoping that it won't be long, as I can't hand in my notice until then, and so feel like I am in limbo. Our Manager has now offiicially left, and the new one starts tomorrow - I wonder how long it will be before she sees the Director's true colours and follows mine and her predecessors example. As I had Thursday and Friday off last week I had to say my goodbyes on Wednesday. I surprised the former Manager with a copy of my book, knowing that like me she is holistic and spiritually minded. She will then be a great loss to the home. We have exchanged email addresses and phone numbers and hope to stay in touch. She texted the other day to say that she is enjoying the book very much and 2 weeks off before starting her own new job. I have never managed to be friends with a (admittedly former) Manager outside of work before, so this will be a new experience for me !
  13. I like almost any veggie food, but it has to also be wheat free. A lot of people get confused about the difference between wheat and gluten free thinking that they are the same thing, but they are not. As far far as takeaways are concerned, I would say Chinese every time, but my favourite sit down meal has to be sausage and mash from our favourite veggie friendly cafe - the chef is the brother of the chef where I work, and both are superb cooks. At this particular place it comes swimming in a thick onion gravy with about 10 different vegetables and a big pile of buttery mash - everything that really good veggie food should be.
  14. Kids in America - Kim Wilde
  15. Your favourite read of the year? I am going to list of these as I loved all of them so much. Mosquito by Roma Tearne, What the Day Owes the Night by Yasmina Khadre, and Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. All very different books set in very different places. Your favourite author of the year? The message is to me more important than the messenger, but if I had to I guess I would say all of the above. Your most read author of the year? There is only one author that I have read more than one book by this year, Arnaldur Indridason Your favourite book cover of the year? I read Kindle these days, so the book cover doesn't come into it The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? Robert MacFarlane - Wild Places The book that most disappointed you? as above The funniest book of the year? This is easy - The 100 Year Old Man who Climbed out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. A very close second is The Hills is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith. Your favourite literary character this year? probably Lou from Me Before You, or Allan from the 100 Year Old Man ! Your favourite children's book this year? I haven't read any of these. I have however read a few YA, my favourite of which would have to be Insurgent and of course Divergent by Veronia Roth. Delirirum and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver were pretty good too. Your favourite classic of the year? None of these either, although it depends on what you call a classic ... Your favourite non-fiction book this year? Boy Racer - Mark Cavendish Your favourite biography this year? Boy Racer - Mark Cavendish Your favourite collection of short stories this year? haven't read any Your favourite poetry collection this year? haven't read any Your favourite illustrated book of the year? don't get these on Kindle Your favourite publisher of the year? Not bothered to be honest, the messager and messenger are more important tnan the transport method ! Your favourite audiobook of the year? Not read any Your favourite re-read of the year? there is in fact only one - My Autobiography by Charlie Chaplin
  16. I click that button all the time, and it has never as far as I know made a difference !
  17. Never mind - I am sure there will be other books from, this country.
  18. This sounds like my kind of book - I shall have to see if it's available on Kindle.
  19. 2 days off, today and tomorrow. Coran and I have just been out for lunch at one our favourite restaurants and we are just about to sit down and watch the Olympic DVD with a big bowl of chocolate buttons and a big fluffy duvet.
  20. I have got a bit behind with the reviews and with keeping this thread up to date, but have managed to get through a few more countries since my last post. Russia - Sarah Quigley - the Conductor (author born in New Zealand, but book set in Russia during the siege of Leningrad) Scotland - Lillian Beckwith - The Hills is Lonely Denmark - The Vanishing Act - Matte Jakobsen Finland - The Summer Book - Tove Janssen Next on the list is Egypt and after that either Iraq or Lebanon.
  21. Here Comes the Night - Van Morrison
  22. Another one - Witness the Night by Kishwar Desai This is about a female social worker in India and part of what will hopefully be a series. I haven't read the follow up yet, but it's on my wish list. This is a really good one though, about female infanticide.
  23. I have - to Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Orkney, Shetland and Fair Isle I have never been drunk
  24. Wherever I Lay my Hat (That's my Home) - Marvin Gaye
  25. As I start to relax more at work knowing that the end is now near the doubts are starting to creep in. I have had several really moving moments with various residents as well today that have tugged at the heartstrings - one of the residents went home today after having been with us for a few months. He was and is such a lovely man who has been through such a lot in his life - fighting in the war and losing his son in a car accident, where he and his wife had to make the heartbreaking decision to switch off the life support. I had an interesting conversation too with one of the other younger male residents who has cerebral palsy. Yesterday we were talking about Remembrance Day and I commented to him that I didn't suppose he had been allowed to join the Army and fight - it was a simple off the cuff remark that I didn't really think that much of. He said to me today though that had upset him a little, but he was glad that I said it all the same, as all of his life he has fought against his disablity and my stating that has made him reassess aand realise that he has to count his blessings and be grateful for all that he has had and learnt. We shared a little hug and both of us had damp eyes ! All this has though understandably made me wonder whether it is the right thing to leave. I have to though realise that this is all part of the letting go, and remember that the reason I am feeling happier is because I know that I am going. It doesn't then change my decision and there will be no going back. The attitude and behaviour of the Director cannot and should not be tolerated, and if I stay it is sending a signal to him and everyone else there that this is acceptable when it is clearly not. A line has to be drawn. I have then this afternoon been over to the new home to fill in all the forms, CRB, bank details, uniform and so on as the quicker I do that the quicker the CRB will come through and the quicker I can give my notice. It will be sad leaving all those lovely residents behind but none of them are really a reason to stay, as everything changes, and a year from now some of them may not even be alive. I know that I have done good work and changed lives by being there and that will continue with a new set of people in a new environment. They are though losing a very good person even if I do say so myself, and it isn't just me either, but Coran as well, for she has often volunteered there helping at the parties and so on, and the staff all know her as a friend as they do me. His loss though is someone else's gain, and I guess that in time he will realise that. I am not the first person to leave there, and the way things are, I certainly won't be the last !
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