A worry

What a surprise, ITU quieter today, so I ask for an annual leave day. The senior sister on nights says no, and I get moved to help run a ward that I have no knowledge of. Humm wonderful management!!!!!!!!!!!! My displeasure was evident to all, but that is the price I have to pay for being a grunt and not a manager any more. I went to work on a medical ward, and work I did! .....As a ward manager I checked the standard of care constantly and prided myself on a job well done. As a lowly staff nurse I am constantly shocked at the pressures put on understaffed ward personnel and the tatty haphazard organisation and sloppy care that can result. For obvious reasons I am not going to say more....suffice to say....I just don't want to be old and get admitted to a DGH

A cool, cool evening

I am beginning to hate the air conditioned aseptic nature of a 12 hour shift on intensive care. Suddenly the unit feels rather small, oppressive and claustrophobic and I know this is happening more and more as I get used to working outside the majority of the time. Tonight I stood in the field like Tim Robins soaking up the rain in The Shawshank Redemption and the cool, slightly wet evening air was lovely after the sterility of hospital.

Nothing day

2 hours in the rain, but I have powdered all the girls bar one (One of the new black hookers managed to get out of the coop) Most of them like Mildred and Glen Close accept being picked up with a firm hand, but I did get two or three nasty pecks from of the Nolans. Egg production : only 13 today

Any reader who thinks I am a tad obsessional with my girls should look at this

http://www.hencam.com/index.php

Its been pouring down all day, so ,most of the afternoon I have been dog walking (William separate so that his stitches don't get pulled) and ironing! Am working all weekend so things a little quiet on the blog front.

Déjà vu,.... I am 'Scottie' Ferguson & the Archers improve

Up early this morning to take William to the vets for his castration op. We weighed him before I put him into his holding cage, and I was surprisingly taken aback when I realised the cage was the one Finlay was in just before he died. Puppies have this particular "surprised" look when confronted with new unknown stimuli and this vulnerable "look" coupled with the Finlay connection, suddenly upset me and I made my excuses to leave pretty sharpish. I hope that the operation will calm the teenage testosterone between the two dogs, but we do have a contingency plan if the fighting does continue and that is Janet and Ned. After Hattie died both are thinking of getting a dog, William will at least have a place to go! even if it is for a short time. Picked the little chap up this afternoon and he looked pretty sprightly despite the operation (and dispite the fact that I actually stated his name was Finlay to the receptionist). Feeling guilty I gave him 2 free range eggs with some feed in an effort to make him feel a bit better when we got home.

Started to paint the upper windows of the cottage this morning and I literally forgot that I am terrified of heights. Now I understand that standing on a ladder only ten feet from the ground is not a scene from Cliffhanger or Towering Inferno but as soon as I climbed up on the outhouse roof, the old legs turned to jelly and I felt as wobbly as I did when clambering up the battlements of Conway Castle! After two minutes and with only two square feet painted I had to kneel on the outhouse roof to steady my nerves (and to look fairly normal as Carole walked past) but then had to clamber down feeling rather "girly" and ineffectual..............what a twat!

The Archers' storylines have been rather lacklustre as of late, what with the Ambridge snake story (do exotic reptile dancers actually ever existed in real situation?), and Lower Loxley's Uncle Rupert Memorial rubbish. But I was genuinely moved the other day when bustless Ruth listened to single mum Emma's lament at being a sad, and single Mum with no prospects. The Archers can do that so well, often weeks go by with general mundane storylines, then a little gem of a piece can suddenly surface which stretches the actors and re enforces the great standing of this lovely soap.

To everyone but John H, Scottie Ferguson is the hero is who is terriefied of heights in Hitchcock's Vertigo.

Life on Mars.....George and Nia

One of George and Nia's favourite tv programmes in Oz was the popular UK series Life on Mars. Chris and I have never seen this small screen homage to the 1970s but had a taste of its nostalgia and warmth tonight when we all met up for a meal and catch up. Catching up with old friends is always a lovely experience, especially when things seem to take off where we left them, I cannot quite believe that we last all met up a few years ago! Nia and George feel like family; we don't live in each others pockets, we don't need to............. We both are distant constants in each others lives. A good night

The conservation group and old friends

Trelawnyd has come second in the best kept village in Flintshire this year which is a huge achievement, however as the village won last year the conservation group is understandably a little disappointed. When I was clearing the grass verges by the Church this morning, the slightly odd but friendly chap from the conservation group sought me out to recruit me back into the fold. The group had lacked members he told me, and that was translated in this years second and not first place! I am happy to help, so said yes, probably flushed with the success of the flower show!





Nia called this afternoon which was lovely. I was so pleased she managed to fit us in to a small window in her hectic visit to old Blightly from sunny Australia. Little George is a beautifully behaved and happy baby and I must admit I was quite taken with him.(Unlike Maddie who crawled onto the couch, growling very quietly when she saw him) We are going over to their borrowed cottage in the neighbouring village of Gwespr this evening to catch up properly.

I wonder when we will meet up again?

The Lives of Others

The Lives of Others (Leben der Anderen, Das (2006) was a fascinating film, well the half that I saw was anyway. Set in East Germany of the very early 1980s it looked like a study of enlightenment through exposure to new ideas and cultures, but I couldn't be sure as the projection machinery broke down an hour into the film! Pity really as it is only on for two nights and we are out with Nia tomorrow!

Scouse Irritation and sweetcorn

The tragic killing of Rhys Jones in Liverpool has united a nation in condemning the senseless increase in teenage gun crime, but am I alone at feeling rather uneasy with the very public show of unity and mourning exhibited by the Merseyside population and press? The Everton football team, were photographed at the boy's murder site flowers and gifts in hand, outrage echoes across the local radio airways and Liverpudlians are "pulling together" with great public gusto to support each other as they did after Hillsborough. But I am left with the feeling that they and we all should be turning our attention more to the underclass of Liverpool ( and those of all our towns and citys) rather than just taking a very public stance in monopolizing grief.

Like many places Liverpool is particularly rife with apathy,crime and a disregard for authority and the law. Generations of people have no respect for others and what others have, and exist in angry isolation from community and acceptable standards of behaviour. However Liverpool,I feel, can often exhibit an unhealthy ability to distance itself from blame and introspection, and I applauded Jimmy Tarbuck when he said that the Liverpudlian population need to take a long and hard look at how they bring up their children. He succinctly reinforced that parenting is to blame for this disintegration of respect but stopped short at suggesting what can be done to improve things. I don't know either, as I wonder just what can be done to and for families who literally have generations that just don't care?

Perhaps the public disgust at anti social behaviour will eventually be enough to sway the tide by peer pressure? but I doubt it. Zero tolerance done properly saved New York. Perhaps we need to hold fast and encourage its proper use here?

Anyhow I will drag myself off my soapbox. Been busy today. Booked William in for castration on Thursday after a long discussion with a vet from Caerwys. Saw the loud Polish vet in the background, and had to stifle a giggle as she bellowed "ELLOOOOOW" to the various support staff!
It is important that the right dog is castrated for harmony to prevail (the less dominant character!), and it was interesting to realise that if the wrong one is done, then the fighting will continue if not get worse. After a detailed chat, the vet suggested that little George is more dominant than William, and we agreed that William will have the op on Thursday. However I have some reservations that she is correct but hey, she knows more than I do, so I hope she is indeed correct.!


Arranged to see Nia and family tomorrow which will be lovely, pity my sweetcorn is not quite ready, as I wanted to give her some as dinner starters! (see pic) but I do think it looks impressive!