A Waste of Time, Touchscreen Computers, and Come Wine With Me

Well today got off to a good start, as I actually managed to get quite a bit of work done before my first meeting at 10am. It was downhill from there, as it was a visit from some representatives from a company who were trying to sell us an online careers package. Unfortunately I was not impressed, as it seemed to be just a collection of links to other resources on the internet- the Principal agreed with me, so that was an hour of my day wasted. I seem to spend a lot of my time listening to people trying to sell me stuff these days!

The afternoon was spent doing some work relating to the new build project, (more on this to follow in a post when I have more time) and ordering some fancy new touchscreen computers we will be trying out to help demonstrate our digital media specialism to visitors.

Also today, after much nagging by Jody, I contacted the other five members of our (not very) secret CWWM club. A group of us shamelessly copied the TV series Come Dine With Me, and renamed it Come Wine With Me, where we all take it in turns to host the others to a dinner party. I was selected to be next at the last one, (which was actually in March last year!) so I have now set a date. Now I have a week and a half to plan a menu which does not include meat, fish, egg or mushrooms!

Has it really been two years....

....since I last set foot in my blog? I had almost forgotten I had one until my brother-in-law Rob (of cotswoldgreen blog fame) mentioned that he had updated his.

There have been quite a few changes in my life since my last update, firstly I have changed my job, and I am now the Strategic ICT Manager at the newly formed Gloucester Academy. This means that I no longer repair computers, as all my time is taken up

with meetings and projects. The only down side is that the new academy is not within walking distance of home.

My role at Cotswold Green has changed as well, instead of fuelling the buses, I am now the Compliance Manager (part time). Different challenges, and an enjoyable change from my day job.

I still volunteer with St John Ambulance, but instead of managing the Stroud unit, I am now the Senior Operational Services Officer, and my responsibilities now include line-managing all of the adult units in the county!

We have also bought a camper van! A 28 year old Volkswagen T25 high top called Doris. This is to replace our caravan, and now I have had the additional seatbelts fitted in the back, and installed bunks in the front and in the roof, the whole family (including the dog) can fit in for holidays and weekends away. So far we have had a weekend in the Forest of Dean, and a few overnights in the local area. Pictures will follow as soon as I remember where I saved them!

I am also well on the way with my collection of brother-in-laws! Ange and Rob got married in March last year, then my sister Rebecca married Gareth in October, bringing my total to three! I hope I don't have any more new family members added, or I may have to let one of the three go!

Hopefully now I have remembered how to use the blog I will be back soon with more updates!

Snow

Too much snow recently - Had 5 days of it a couple of weeks ago, and now this morning it is back. I don't mind snow itself, what I dislike is the way that everything grinds to a halt whenever the first few flakes fall. (and the fact that I will get snowballed while I am on lunchtime duty at school!)

Photography

I have recently become the proud owner of a digital SLR camera, and I am trying to learn the art of photography. I have been taking every opportunity I can to get out and take photos.

This is one of my best efforts so far, it is St Oswalds Priory in Gloucester, taken in the evening while it is all lit up.

I will put any photos I particularly like up on here- please make any comments about them.

Brrrrrrrr !

About 2 months ago, we spent a small fortune on a new combi boiler for our house, as the old one was not working properly. I mistakenly thought that this would give us several years of warmth and hot water, but no - that was far too optimistic, as today it decided to stop working.

We are now sat here in the cold, so hopefully the engineer will be able to sort it out tomorrow !

A Confession !

My name is Jim, and I am a gambling addict.....

.....but only on the 2p machines in the arcade at Dawlish Warren !

We have spent the last week there on a family holiday (in Dawlish Warren, not actually in the arcade!), and although Robbie was ill, and there was not a lot to do, and some of the people were very strange, we still managed to have a good time!

We went for a walk on the beach, played crazy golf, had a day in Exeter taking some pictures of buses (me and Rob), and played games and watched "Family Guy" dvds in the evenings.

In between doing that, we posted lots of 2p coins into the machine in the arcade which eats most of them, and very occassionally drops some 2p coins out. We did eventually end up with over 1000 token points, which we exchanged for some toys for the kids, and some other crap we didn't really need.

I will definately go to Dawlish again, hopefully when I am about 85, and I can sit on the seafront with my tartan blanket over my knees, complaining about the weather to anyone passing by!

Stroud Half Marathon, Hockey, and a Wasted Journey

After waving goodbye to Liz and the 3 children, who are off on holiday (I am joining them tomorrow), I continue with preparations for the Stroud Half Marathon, which is taking place tomorrow. I am not running in it (obviously !) and for the first time in living memory I am not the Duty Officer for St John Ambulance - this "honour" falls to Dan, who is taking on his second "big duty".

I set off down to HQ to meet Michael and Dave, to sort out the bikes, and pick up the response car. Michael had beaten me down there, and had already got both bikes out, and was going through the kit, so I start sorting out the response car, including replacing the defibrillator (the "Stand clear- Shocking" machine), which was complaining of low battery. Time for coffee and a cigarette next, while I have a chat with Coral, who has arrived to pick up an ambulance for a PTS job (Patient Transport Service) in Dursley.

Everything sorted here, so I head for home, via my parents house, where I pop in for a coffee and a chat, then off to St Peters School, to play hockey against a team from Stroud. As I get out of the car, the rain stops, and it loooks like we are going to be lucky with the weather.

We comfortably win the game 4 -0, and after a cheese salad baguette for tea, I head for home, planning to start the task of looking for my camera bits and pieces to take away with me tomorrow, but this is thrown into disarray by a phone call asking me to return the response car, as it is needed this evening. After a bit of internal swearing about piss - ups and brewerys, I headed back to HQ to drop it off, but what do I see when I arrive there, the crew member driving out through the gates in an ambulance. "Don't worry about the car Jim, I will go out in this" he said, and disapeared down the road. Cue a bit more swearing about having wasted half an hour returning a car that did not need returning.

Back home for some well earned rest- clocks go back tonight, which should cause some confusion tomorrow!

Now where is the camera tripod......