Actually, not the first or the last, but the first time for work.
Destination: Kings Hill Hospital in Denmark Hill, an area and Tube station in the London borough of Southwark. Southwark is known for the eponymous judgment which states that councils have a duty to assess young persons ages 16-21 who present with housing needs. I tend to do 2-3 of these housing assessments a week. Do we have a duty to offer accommodation??? Who is "we"??? To Be Determined.
So, to get from AFK (Ashford International) to DMK (Denmark Hill), one can of course drive but parking is at a premium and expensive, and driving can be stressful. It might be cheaper than the train, and it might be faster. It is not as environmentally sound.
The night before, I went online to look up schedules and fares. Here's where it gets tricky. I have a Network Railcard, which offers discounts (but only at certain times of day - - it's intended for leisure trips more than business. Today's trip, according to the ticket clerk, would only offer discounts if I left later than 10 a.m.)
What route should I take??? Well, it depends. I'm used to taking the High Speed One train to St Pancras International in Central London. It's the station from which the Eurostar leaves London and it's twinned with Kings Cross rail and tube station, which offers connections to London and the rest of the UK. That costs 19.95 with a railcard on weekends. Or, I could take the slower train to Victoria station and then the tube from there.
The trouble is that neither of these are the most direct route, and a search on the Southeastern trains web site does not make clear what the most direct route is.
My cold has recently added sniffles to a cough, so I'm not at my most clearheaded in the morning. I'm trying to get to the station for the 8:43 train, but only manage to be at the ticket counter at 8:43. After showing my EverNote to the ticket agent, I leave with a ticket to Denmark Hill with a train change in London Bridge, railcard not applicable, for 22.40.
That was cool until I got to London Bridge and realised I had no idea what train to take to Denmark Hill. There are timetable boards at the station, but I didn't have a clue what line I was taking that included Denmark Hill.
Fortunately, a nice staff person told me what platform to go to. It turned out the train I needed wasn't for about half an hour, so that is probably why I couldn't figure it out from the boards. If it had been sooner the boards would have shown a train calling at that station, but they only showed trains leaving in the next 20 minutes, not 30.
When I got home I looked up the journey again as if I were leaving tomorrow and found a route going through Bromley South. I think if I would have taken that train I could have saved time on the journey b/c I wouldn't have been sitting at London Bridge for those 30 minutes. It would have been less than 10 minutes between connections but 27 minutes from Bromley South to Denmark Hill as opposed to 18 minutes from London Bridge to Denmark Hill.
Maybe it depends on what time you actually get to the station, and how much money you want to save. I could have left sooner than 9:03 from Ashford, but I would have ended up routing through St Pancras, taking the High Speed One and spending more money. I think.
Anyway, it was an education and an experience. I have more meetings coming up in London in the New Year, so the fun will continue.
And now to all a Happy Christmas!!!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Filming Follies
After my last post my camera started malfunctioning and I just didn't wanna post without pix. The camera store told me they "didn't do Kodak" so I couldn't get a camera battery there, which was the first problem, and ended up taking 3 weeks to get one ordered off eBay and received. Then it was outta juice the next time I tried to use it. Ordered another battery, same thing happened and now I'm getting a message that the memory card needs to be reformatted. So, even the pictures I managed to get but not download are gonna be gone.
Here's what's coming up the next few weeks:
- Saturday going to pick up a package at the depot in a village near Maidstone, then meeting up with my friend Evelyn for shopping and eating in Chatham
- Getting my desktop computer set up
- Finalizing my digital piano rental order (I put the deposit but the paperwork is lagging behind)
- October 8 Dr. Who Live at Wembley Stadium
- October 9 haircut in the afternoon and friend's concert in the evening
- Taking my driving theory test October 21
- If I pass, time to start scheduling driving lessons so I can pass the practical and have my UK licence by February 1, a year after arriving!
Plus the usual shopping, cooking, laundry, kitty bonding time, 50+ hour weeks, etc.
It's all good though!!! I've had loads of fun trips since my last post and will be having loads more. Hopefully I'll get the camera situation resolved one way or another soon. I wasn't happy with some of the last shots I took anyway. Had what I thought would be great pix of St. Paul's Cathedral from the Thames and they didn't look at all like I'd hoped they would. Plus the screen on the Kodak, you can't see it in the daylight. I mean, I'm bummed that a $110 camera didn't even last a year, but I think it's time to accept it and move on.
Here's what's coming up the next few weeks:
- Saturday going to pick up a package at the depot in a village near Maidstone, then meeting up with my friend Evelyn for shopping and eating in Chatham
- Getting my desktop computer set up
- Finalizing my digital piano rental order (I put the deposit but the paperwork is lagging behind)
- October 8 Dr. Who Live at Wembley Stadium
- October 9 haircut in the afternoon and friend's concert in the evening
- Taking my driving theory test October 21
- If I pass, time to start scheduling driving lessons so I can pass the practical and have my UK licence by February 1, a year after arriving!
Plus the usual shopping, cooking, laundry, kitty bonding time, 50+ hour weeks, etc.
It's all good though!!! I've had loads of fun trips since my last post and will be having loads more. Hopefully I'll get the camera situation resolved one way or another soon. I wasn't happy with some of the last shots I took anyway. Had what I thought would be great pix of St. Paul's Cathedral from the Thames and they didn't look at all like I'd hoped they would. Plus the screen on the Kodak, you can't see it in the daylight. I mean, I'm bummed that a $110 camera didn't even last a year, but I think it's time to accept it and move on.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Duty Week, Couch Surfing and Me
Work continues to be busy and interesting. Another duty week last week . . . no, wait . . . it was week before last but the late nights bled into this week . . . which is why I haven't posted for a while. I don't have my diary at home b/c I've been trying to get my work computer going; tech support is only open 8:30 to 5:30 so I left the office about 3:30 yesterday so I could be at home when tech support was available. Didn't get it going yesterday but did today, so I COULD have entered some mileage that I am trying to get submitted but without the diary I don't know what I did in May. Will hafta finish it next week.
I do recall having late nights a week ago Thursday, Friday, Tuesday and again Thursday. Training on Wednesday and that's when I took an hour to take my computer in as their office is in Maidstone, which is where the training was. So I spent an hour doing that and then couldn't get the computer going the next day . . . ugh. Anyway, it's working at the mo. It runs much slower than in the office but it does run. *knock wood*
I have couch surfers coming in tonight, C from Germany and her boyfriend M. (Not sure of the etiquette/confidentiality of naming people in a blog.) I signed up to couchsurfing.org a few weeks back so I could get a place to stay when I go to Paris as beds are so expensive there. Meanwhile C contacted me last . . . musta been during duty week. She is a social worker from Germany and is interviewing in Ashford on Monday. I don't know who her interview is with but she told me it's with a children and families team. I don't think it's the team I'm on for various reasons but we shall see.
So I went to the grocery and bought food for company before I checked to make sure I had the needed pots and pans. I have been aware that I was missing a lot of my kitchen stuff but thought I had enough to get by, and I do except . . . no colander . . . no point making pasta without one of those, is there??? Also it's actually HOT so I am not cooking now, which is what I'd planned to be doing today at this time. I did go to Asda to buy sheets for the Aerobed and a fan. Well, they don't have electric fans, so I had to go to Argos for that. Argos is kinda time-consuming b/c you hafta look at the catalog, write down what you want, go pay for it, and then collect it. I'd been to the one in the town centre before but left without buying anything b/c of the time factor, but now I have a car and there is an Argos Extra in a "retail park" as they're called not far from me.
If we decide we want to cook the pasta, we or I can go to the grocery tomorrow and hope there are colanders there.
Meanwhile I worked on cleaning off the garden furniture. It will need another go but I made a good start. The lawn and garden guys did go into the back garden yesterday as I had said I was having company this weekend and wanted that done, but I guess they just put out weed killer??? I thought the weeds would be gone and they're not. Oh well, we can open the patio doors from the living room and/or sit in the conservatory, which is what I've done with previous visitors.
Signing off now to finish getting ready!!!
I do recall having late nights a week ago Thursday, Friday, Tuesday and again Thursday. Training on Wednesday and that's when I took an hour to take my computer in as their office is in Maidstone, which is where the training was. So I spent an hour doing that and then couldn't get the computer going the next day . . . ugh. Anyway, it's working at the mo. It runs much slower than in the office but it does run. *knock wood*
I have couch surfers coming in tonight, C from Germany and her boyfriend M. (Not sure of the etiquette/confidentiality of naming people in a blog.) I signed up to couchsurfing.org a few weeks back so I could get a place to stay when I go to Paris as beds are so expensive there. Meanwhile C contacted me last . . . musta been during duty week. She is a social worker from Germany and is interviewing in Ashford on Monday. I don't know who her interview is with but she told me it's with a children and families team. I don't think it's the team I'm on for various reasons but we shall see.
So I went to the grocery and bought food for company before I checked to make sure I had the needed pots and pans. I have been aware that I was missing a lot of my kitchen stuff but thought I had enough to get by, and I do except . . . no colander . . . no point making pasta without one of those, is there??? Also it's actually HOT so I am not cooking now, which is what I'd planned to be doing today at this time. I did go to Asda to buy sheets for the Aerobed and a fan. Well, they don't have electric fans, so I had to go to Argos for that. Argos is kinda time-consuming b/c you hafta look at the catalog, write down what you want, go pay for it, and then collect it. I'd been to the one in the town centre before but left without buying anything b/c of the time factor, but now I have a car and there is an Argos Extra in a "retail park" as they're called not far from me.
If we decide we want to cook the pasta, we or I can go to the grocery tomorrow and hope there are colanders there.
Meanwhile I worked on cleaning off the garden furniture. It will need another go but I made a good start. The lawn and garden guys did go into the back garden yesterday as I had said I was having company this weekend and wanted that done, but I guess they just put out weed killer??? I thought the weeds would be gone and they're not. Oh well, we can open the patio doors from the living room and/or sit in the conservatory, which is what I've done with previous visitors.
Signing off now to finish getting ready!!!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
World Cup and Proms
So, the World Cup is inescapable. It amazes me how important it is over here whereas in the US it gets very little notice, or did when I was there. I mean, to the point of one of my colleagues being asked to try to dress in the colors of at least one of the teams playing that day, as she had managed to wear green and red on the day of a match with Mexico??? (Although she wore the green and red for fashion reasons and not because of the football game, and I haven't kept track of her fashion choices since that day, but heigh-ho.)
It's all led me to try to find out more about the music surrounding the game. Which has led me to the Proms, which are classical music concerts put on by the BBC. The last night of the Proms is a big deal and this is where the traditonal "anthems" are sung. I want to learn them and that's what I'm doing. Learning the tunes is easy (for instance, "Pomp and Circumstance" is one of them, but learning tunes is easy for me anyway) but the words are harder for me.
I've learned "Jerusalem," "Rule Britannia," "Land of Hope and Glory" (sung to the Elgar tune aforementioned which Americans know as "Pomp and Circumstance" and am working on "God Save the Queen," which Americans know as "My Country 'Tis of Thee."
Learned "There'll Always Be An England" when I first came over and still like it, but it doesn't seem as popular as the others. There's a football song about the three lions too, but haven't learned that one yet.
So far the concert that looks most interesting to me is on July 24. Two of the pieces featured will be "O Fortuna" from "Carmina Burana" (which I sang with one of the Austin community choirs in 1984 under director Morris Beachy) and "Mars" from Gustav Holst's "The Planets" (which I forced visitors to my home at yuletide 1977 to listen to, an electronic version by Tomita. Ah, the '70s.)
I suppose part of the reason for this preoccupation is to do something completely different from my job. Last week was duty week for me and I was out doing a placement until 10 p.m. Thursday night. Fortunately I had traded my Friday with another worker but that means I'm on duty tomorrow. Duty tends to wipe me out and I'm not fit for human commerce after work, so I turn to music. Which I love anyway and want to remember that I came over here to LIVE and not just to work!!!
It's all led me to try to find out more about the music surrounding the game. Which has led me to the Proms, which are classical music concerts put on by the BBC. The last night of the Proms is a big deal and this is where the traditonal "anthems" are sung. I want to learn them and that's what I'm doing. Learning the tunes is easy (for instance, "Pomp and Circumstance" is one of them, but learning tunes is easy for me anyway) but the words are harder for me.
I've learned "Jerusalem," "Rule Britannia," "Land of Hope and Glory" (sung to the Elgar tune aforementioned which Americans know as "Pomp and Circumstance" and am working on "God Save the Queen," which Americans know as "My Country 'Tis of Thee."
Learned "There'll Always Be An England" when I first came over and still like it, but it doesn't seem as popular as the others. There's a football song about the three lions too, but haven't learned that one yet.
So far the concert that looks most interesting to me is on July 24. Two of the pieces featured will be "O Fortuna" from "Carmina Burana" (which I sang with one of the Austin community choirs in 1984 under director Morris Beachy) and "Mars" from Gustav Holst's "The Planets" (which I forced visitors to my home at yuletide 1977 to listen to, an electronic version by Tomita. Ah, the '70s.)
I suppose part of the reason for this preoccupation is to do something completely different from my job. Last week was duty week for me and I was out doing a placement until 10 p.m. Thursday night. Fortunately I had traded my Friday with another worker but that means I'm on duty tomorrow. Duty tends to wipe me out and I'm not fit for human commerce after work, so I turn to music. Which I love anyway and want to remember that I came over here to LIVE and not just to work!!!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
UK funny (but not suitable for minors)
OK, so I think one of my 14YOs is pregnant. Discussed with managers and one said "Well, let's hope he's a Jaffa."
Huh???
"You know what a Jaffa cake is, right???"
"Yup, it's a biscuit." (cookie) "With orange filling."
"So, Jaffa oranges???"
"Yeah???"
"Seedless."
AAAAAAA!!!!!
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!
:)
Huh???
"You know what a Jaffa cake is, right???"
"Yup, it's a biscuit." (cookie) "With orange filling."
"So, Jaffa oranges???"
"Yeah???"
"Seedless."
AAAAAAA!!!!!
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!
:)
Sunday, May 16, 2010
There's a dead bird in my garden.
At least Toby didn't do it. There are a lotta cats in this neighborhood though.
I'm in the midst of putting all the art work that won't look right on my walls in this place into the garage and keep having to step over the bird. I have cleaned up dead birds before but just can't bring myself to deal with this one.
Tomorrow at 1730 some people are coming to give me an estimate on care for the front and back gardens. I knew I was meant to do garden care but the combo of cold weather and work busyness caused me to have it go off my radar. There's a lawnmower in the garage but it belongs to the landlord. I could probably buy a push mower for the front and some weed killer for the back and get by, but I'm going to take advice first.
We had such lovely spring weather for a while but now it's getting all cloudy again and has been showering intermittently the last week or so. At least I haven't had to wear gloves this weekend as I did last weekend.
I hope the dead bird wasn't the parent of birdlets but I'm positive it was. I know there are lots of nests in this neighbourhood because it is a long established one.
Sigh.
I'm in the midst of putting all the art work that won't look right on my walls in this place into the garage and keep having to step over the bird. I have cleaned up dead birds before but just can't bring myself to deal with this one.
Tomorrow at 1730 some people are coming to give me an estimate on care for the front and back gardens. I knew I was meant to do garden care but the combo of cold weather and work busyness caused me to have it go off my radar. There's a lawnmower in the garage but it belongs to the landlord. I could probably buy a push mower for the front and some weed killer for the back and get by, but I'm going to take advice first.
We had such lovely spring weather for a while but now it's getting all cloudy again and has been showering intermittently the last week or so. At least I haven't had to wear gloves this weekend as I did last weekend.
I hope the dead bird wasn't the parent of birdlets but I'm positive it was. I know there are lots of nests in this neighbourhood because it is a long established one.
Sigh.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Britain haz coalition govt!!!
When not working I've been glued to the news. I was hoping for a Lab/Lib Dems coalition but it's turned out to be Tories/Lib Dems. I'm still learning about what each party holds near and dear and that is going to be more apparent as they start forming policies. I might have voted Lib Dem were I eligible as the party is into social justice and pro-environmental policies. Then again, I did feel that Gordon Brown was keeping the economy going with deficit spending. People were afraid the pound sterling would plunge with a Lib/Lab coalition but it's actually gone down some anyway. I find it hard to accept that people were and are so afraid of proportional representation when other European countries have been running that way for years. I would be really happy if we had Green Party MPs, not so much for UKIPs. The Green Party did win a seat so that's exciting. I do think in the future the Scottish National Party will be more represented and probably some of the smaller parties as well. IMO the more people are forced to compromise the better policy will come out of it. Too much power in the hands of too few people is a problem in my book.
Work has been busy but interesting. I asked again if I could get the A2K training and today the answer was YES!!!! Hurrah!!! Once I'm trained I can take a laptop home and do my paperwork there. I think I'll be more productive if I can work at home and will be able to avoid the parking hassles sometimes. It has gotten really bad lately. I've been very lucky in finding parking places in the permit lot when I need them but my colleagues have ended up having to park 20 minutes away sometimes. The pay bays near our entrance fill up; heck, ALL the paid parking in the whole Civic Centre fills up. Having to pay for parking is not reimbursable and one can only park for 2 hours at a time, so if you had to park 20 minutes away, you gotta leave work again an hour and 20 minutes later, walk back to your car, look for parking in the permit lot and if you can't find it, go through the whole process again. A lot of wasted time for busy social workers who are already working long hours.
It will be nice if I can spend more time with Toby too. He has been a bit lonely but he LOVES the new cat toys my colleague Mandy passed on from her cat Ravi. I can't get any good pix of him playing with them cuz when I get out the camera he wants me to pick him up, but every night when I turn out the lights he has a play session before he comes upstairs to sleep on my bed. He's a happy boy but he and I will both be happier if he gets a bit more mommy time!!!
Work has been busy but interesting. I asked again if I could get the A2K training and today the answer was YES!!!! Hurrah!!! Once I'm trained I can take a laptop home and do my paperwork there. I think I'll be more productive if I can work at home and will be able to avoid the parking hassles sometimes. It has gotten really bad lately. I've been very lucky in finding parking places in the permit lot when I need them but my colleagues have ended up having to park 20 minutes away sometimes. The pay bays near our entrance fill up; heck, ALL the paid parking in the whole Civic Centre fills up. Having to pay for parking is not reimbursable and one can only park for 2 hours at a time, so if you had to park 20 minutes away, you gotta leave work again an hour and 20 minutes later, walk back to your car, look for parking in the permit lot and if you can't find it, go through the whole process again. A lot of wasted time for busy social workers who are already working long hours.
It will be nice if I can spend more time with Toby too. He has been a bit lonely but he LOVES the new cat toys my colleague Mandy passed on from her cat Ravi. I can't get any good pix of him playing with them cuz when I get out the camera he wants me to pick him up, but every night when I turn out the lights he has a play session before he comes upstairs to sleep on my bed. He's a happy boy but he and I will both be happier if he gets a bit more mommy time!!!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
I haz fast internet!!!
Getting the package was an adventure. It wouldn't fit through my letterbox so was left at the Royal Mail processing station. Great, I thought, since it is walking distance from work. Can you PARK there, however??? No, you cannot, and as I did not leave enough time on the first morning I tried to pick it up to both park at work and walk there and back, I had to go back the 2nd day. Which turned out fine, as that was April 8 and that's the day my broadband actually went live. I had to call Talk Talk to verify that before setting up. Once I had the go-live verified, I got the router set up and was online in about 10 minutes. Et voila!!! Now I can start catching up on internet activities, especially this blog!!!
It's been a very eventful couple of weeks since I last wrote. I saw the NHS doctor March 29 and he ordered a chest x-ray to see if I even have cardiomyopathy, as he doesn't think I have hypertension. On March 31 I caught the case of a 3MO baby girl who was at the hospital with suspected nonaccidental trauma. After spending half the day on the phone I got out to the hospital about 2:30. At that point I was just going to supervise baby's contact with parents. I sat with them and extended family members until about 4:50, then decided to leave as dad wasn't back from his police interview yet and I had said I would be back at the office about 5. As I was in the parking lot, my mobile rang and I was able to answer it as someone had pulled out in front of me and stopped, so I wasn't technically driving. It was Penny Jed, the child protection nurse specialist, informing me that the baby had MULTIPLE fractures and I needed to get back in there and establish with medical staff that baby wasn't to be alone with any family members. Neither my team leader nor I were able to get the police to commit to go back inside with me, but Penny was able to and the police showed up about half an hour later, Trevor and Michele, both of whom I've come to know well doing this work.
The specialist pediatric consultant showed us the x-rays on her computer and, since I've been in the medical field off and on since I was a teenager, I could clearly see that the baby had broken ribs. We estimated at that point plus or minus 9 fractures. The left arm, the fracture for which she was presented, was one of the worst breaks I've ever seen.
Trevor, Michele and I spoke with nursing staff, parents and extended family. I drafted an agreement for no unsupervised contact of any family with the baby and no attempts to remove her from the hospital either, which they signed. Left the hospital about 8:00.
The next day I finalized a foster placement for the baby (which I'd started on the day before) and did paperwork to establish her placement. The parents arrived downstairs in the Civic Centre, where I work, bringing car seat, comfort items and clothing as they knew she was going into foster care. Deborah, my team leader, and I talked to them about the agreeent and why it was best for both themselves and baby Scarlett.
Two police officers arrived, at which time I went back upstairs to get ready to go to the hospital and move the baby into her placement. Meanwhile, the parents were arrested and bail conditions were set - - basically what we'd agreed to in the prior night's written agreement plus no unsupervised contact with any children under 10.
I got up to the hospital about 5:30 and didn't get out of there with the baby until about 8. I fed her, changed her nappy, and waited for her discharge instructions. I brought the car seat up to her room to strap her into it, then carried her down and strapped her into my car. Which, I discovered at that point, did not have a dome light and I couldn't see what I was doing very well, but I strapped her in with the shoulder strap and wedged the front seat up against her car seat.
Off we went to the tiny village of Hawkinge, which is near Folkestone. It turned out to be a lovely home with a foster mum probably about my age, 2 Labradors (one golden and one black), and a 5YO girl with cerebral palsy who is one of the most beautiful children you could ever see - - besides baby Scarlett, that is. Scarlett managed the ride beautifully. She never does cry - - I fear it's because she's learned it doesn't help. She whinges a bit when she's hungry or needs a new nappy, but other than that she's perfectly happy and falls asleep as soon as you start her on a car ride.
Got home about 9ish, unloaded the car and realized I'd forgotten to have foster mum sign the required paperwork, so I went back the next morning and got that done. Needed to leave a copy of it with her anyway as it contains medical info.
Scarlett weighed 8 pounds 12 ounces at birth and was just over 11 pounds when she came into care. At that time we figured she'd had a fracture about once every 10 days - - alive for 90 days with 9 fractures. (I ran into another of the child abuse investigation unit police officers at the local home improvement store over the weekend and we talked about that figure.)
On Tuesday (we were off Monday) I learned that the baby had 12 fractures, not 9, and some were reinjuries - - i.e., they had callus formation, had either healed on their own or started to heal, and then been refractured. I learned that I had to supervise a parental visit, so I filled out paperwork to take to them (since we were going to court Friday) and we took separate cars to a neutral meeting point in Folkestone. I did NOT want them to have any opportunity to follow me into Hawkinge so I waited until they were well on their way before leaving - - the sat-nav took me a different route but it was still nervewracking. Especially since after I picked up Scarlett, I couldn't find the meeting place in Folkestone. I did get there eventually though and supervised the visit.
She was supposed to have visits Wednesday and Thursday but didn't - - foster mum had an appointment for her older child in London on Wednesday and took Scarlett with her, and Thursday the police were reinterviewing her parents when her visit was supposed to take place. OK for me as I actually got some other work done during this time - - had a strategy meeting for another case which is now going to conference in about 2 weeks. I also had a lot of paperwork to prepare for court.
Deborah and I were at court in Folkestone by 9:30 a.m. for a scheduled hearing at 10, which didn't happen until 1 - - which I'm well used to as far as delay in court hearings from Texas. I didn't end up having to testify as the parties came to an agreement long before our actual court time. The case is being transferred up to the county court, as the baby has such serious injuries, and will be heard next Wednesday. As of EOB Friday it was to be transferred to the long-term care team. I arranged supervised visits for next week and booked the room at the neutral meeting point in Folkestone for the next month.
I like going to court. Deborah is actually leaving our team and transferring to CAFCASS, which is a court advisory service, as she likes it too and wants to spend more time doing that. I can imagine following her there in due time. We had a chance to talk about why I was assigned to the duty team - - I told her I had not been consulted as to what type of team I wished to be placed in and she told me she'd never seen my CV. Talking to other Americans that came over when I did, it sounds like we were all slotted in on the basis of, well, we don't know. It's such a large county, whoever assigned us looks like they just put us where they thought the need was greatest and it was more or less of a fit. I haven't talked to any Americans who felt like "oh yeah, this is precisely what my experience suits me for." Even those who've had extensive CPS experience in the States, the procedures are very different over here. We've all had huge learning curves and are by no means at the bottom yet.
Next week I look forward to catching back up on other cases. First thing Monday I have a child protection conference. I have not even observed one of these yet, much less been the social services rep. My other team leader Andy is going with me. Fortunately it is an established process whereby there is a person whose job is to chair these conferences. I did have to go present the papers for the hearing on Thursday. My colleague Michael, to whom the case is going to be transferred on the long-term team, came with me, both as a learning exercise and so I wouldn't be going alone, as I warned him it wasn't going to be a pleasant experience, and indeed it wasn't. Suffice it to say that I emailed the conference chair after the home visit that if dad's mum showed up, I wanted her read the riot act and if she misbehaved at all she wasn't to be allowed to stay. The conference is for an unborn who is at serious risk from his dad, who is only 16 years old. We had a pre-birth planning meeting and when mum goes into labour, I'm to be called to be at the hospital. She's not to take the baby home to her partner, the unborn's dad. She's agreed to go live in Margate with her mum, but we will discuss all this at the conference and put the final plans in place. I did want to have the pre-birth planning meeting earlier in case she had preterm labour, which fortunately hasn't happened, but as she is only 18 that was a possibility.
Also I'll have a chance to catch up on the family that's going to conference soon. Will probably spend most of the day in Tunbridge Wells on Wednesday meeting up with family members, school, Health Visitor, etc.
There are some other cases that really need attention but the office is closed weekends. As time goes by I may do some weekend work, but then again, I already work late every night pretty much. The duty team are usually the last to leave the office.
This is what I came here for though and I'm not complaining at all. I feel blessed and privileged to be here. Catching a glimpse of the English Channel shimmering in the sunlight the other day as I crested a hill toward the M20 made up for all the ugliness to which I stand witness. Besides which, someone has to stand witness to it and I'm grateful to be someone who gets to do that.
Now I have my beloved cat, a car, my shipment, fast internet and a tight group of colleagues. Life is getting better every day!!!!!
It's been a very eventful couple of weeks since I last wrote. I saw the NHS doctor March 29 and he ordered a chest x-ray to see if I even have cardiomyopathy, as he doesn't think I have hypertension. On March 31 I caught the case of a 3MO baby girl who was at the hospital with suspected nonaccidental trauma. After spending half the day on the phone I got out to the hospital about 2:30. At that point I was just going to supervise baby's contact with parents. I sat with them and extended family members until about 4:50, then decided to leave as dad wasn't back from his police interview yet and I had said I would be back at the office about 5. As I was in the parking lot, my mobile rang and I was able to answer it as someone had pulled out in front of me and stopped, so I wasn't technically driving. It was Penny Jed, the child protection nurse specialist, informing me that the baby had MULTIPLE fractures and I needed to get back in there and establish with medical staff that baby wasn't to be alone with any family members. Neither my team leader nor I were able to get the police to commit to go back inside with me, but Penny was able to and the police showed up about half an hour later, Trevor and Michele, both of whom I've come to know well doing this work.
The specialist pediatric consultant showed us the x-rays on her computer and, since I've been in the medical field off and on since I was a teenager, I could clearly see that the baby had broken ribs. We estimated at that point plus or minus 9 fractures. The left arm, the fracture for which she was presented, was one of the worst breaks I've ever seen.
Trevor, Michele and I spoke with nursing staff, parents and extended family. I drafted an agreement for no unsupervised contact of any family with the baby and no attempts to remove her from the hospital either, which they signed. Left the hospital about 8:00.
The next day I finalized a foster placement for the baby (which I'd started on the day before) and did paperwork to establish her placement. The parents arrived downstairs in the Civic Centre, where I work, bringing car seat, comfort items and clothing as they knew she was going into foster care. Deborah, my team leader, and I talked to them about the agreeent and why it was best for both themselves and baby Scarlett.
Two police officers arrived, at which time I went back upstairs to get ready to go to the hospital and move the baby into her placement. Meanwhile, the parents were arrested and bail conditions were set - - basically what we'd agreed to in the prior night's written agreement plus no unsupervised contact with any children under 10.
I got up to the hospital about 5:30 and didn't get out of there with the baby until about 8. I fed her, changed her nappy, and waited for her discharge instructions. I brought the car seat up to her room to strap her into it, then carried her down and strapped her into my car. Which, I discovered at that point, did not have a dome light and I couldn't see what I was doing very well, but I strapped her in with the shoulder strap and wedged the front seat up against her car seat.
Off we went to the tiny village of Hawkinge, which is near Folkestone. It turned out to be a lovely home with a foster mum probably about my age, 2 Labradors (one golden and one black), and a 5YO girl with cerebral palsy who is one of the most beautiful children you could ever see - - besides baby Scarlett, that is. Scarlett managed the ride beautifully. She never does cry - - I fear it's because she's learned it doesn't help. She whinges a bit when she's hungry or needs a new nappy, but other than that she's perfectly happy and falls asleep as soon as you start her on a car ride.
Got home about 9ish, unloaded the car and realized I'd forgotten to have foster mum sign the required paperwork, so I went back the next morning and got that done. Needed to leave a copy of it with her anyway as it contains medical info.
Scarlett weighed 8 pounds 12 ounces at birth and was just over 11 pounds when she came into care. At that time we figured she'd had a fracture about once every 10 days - - alive for 90 days with 9 fractures. (I ran into another of the child abuse investigation unit police officers at the local home improvement store over the weekend and we talked about that figure.)
On Tuesday (we were off Monday) I learned that the baby had 12 fractures, not 9, and some were reinjuries - - i.e., they had callus formation, had either healed on their own or started to heal, and then been refractured. I learned that I had to supervise a parental visit, so I filled out paperwork to take to them (since we were going to court Friday) and we took separate cars to a neutral meeting point in Folkestone. I did NOT want them to have any opportunity to follow me into Hawkinge so I waited until they were well on their way before leaving - - the sat-nav took me a different route but it was still nervewracking. Especially since after I picked up Scarlett, I couldn't find the meeting place in Folkestone. I did get there eventually though and supervised the visit.
She was supposed to have visits Wednesday and Thursday but didn't - - foster mum had an appointment for her older child in London on Wednesday and took Scarlett with her, and Thursday the police were reinterviewing her parents when her visit was supposed to take place. OK for me as I actually got some other work done during this time - - had a strategy meeting for another case which is now going to conference in about 2 weeks. I also had a lot of paperwork to prepare for court.
Deborah and I were at court in Folkestone by 9:30 a.m. for a scheduled hearing at 10, which didn't happen until 1 - - which I'm well used to as far as delay in court hearings from Texas. I didn't end up having to testify as the parties came to an agreement long before our actual court time. The case is being transferred up to the county court, as the baby has such serious injuries, and will be heard next Wednesday. As of EOB Friday it was to be transferred to the long-term care team. I arranged supervised visits for next week and booked the room at the neutral meeting point in Folkestone for the next month.
I like going to court. Deborah is actually leaving our team and transferring to CAFCASS, which is a court advisory service, as she likes it too and wants to spend more time doing that. I can imagine following her there in due time. We had a chance to talk about why I was assigned to the duty team - - I told her I had not been consulted as to what type of team I wished to be placed in and she told me she'd never seen my CV. Talking to other Americans that came over when I did, it sounds like we were all slotted in on the basis of, well, we don't know. It's such a large county, whoever assigned us looks like they just put us where they thought the need was greatest and it was more or less of a fit. I haven't talked to any Americans who felt like "oh yeah, this is precisely what my experience suits me for." Even those who've had extensive CPS experience in the States, the procedures are very different over here. We've all had huge learning curves and are by no means at the bottom yet.
Next week I look forward to catching back up on other cases. First thing Monday I have a child protection conference. I have not even observed one of these yet, much less been the social services rep. My other team leader Andy is going with me. Fortunately it is an established process whereby there is a person whose job is to chair these conferences. I did have to go present the papers for the hearing on Thursday. My colleague Michael, to whom the case is going to be transferred on the long-term team, came with me, both as a learning exercise and so I wouldn't be going alone, as I warned him it wasn't going to be a pleasant experience, and indeed it wasn't. Suffice it to say that I emailed the conference chair after the home visit that if dad's mum showed up, I wanted her read the riot act and if she misbehaved at all she wasn't to be allowed to stay. The conference is for an unborn who is at serious risk from his dad, who is only 16 years old. We had a pre-birth planning meeting and when mum goes into labour, I'm to be called to be at the hospital. She's not to take the baby home to her partner, the unborn's dad. She's agreed to go live in Margate with her mum, but we will discuss all this at the conference and put the final plans in place. I did want to have the pre-birth planning meeting earlier in case she had preterm labour, which fortunately hasn't happened, but as she is only 18 that was a possibility.
Also I'll have a chance to catch up on the family that's going to conference soon. Will probably spend most of the day in Tunbridge Wells on Wednesday meeting up with family members, school, Health Visitor, etc.
There are some other cases that really need attention but the office is closed weekends. As time goes by I may do some weekend work, but then again, I already work late every night pretty much. The duty team are usually the last to leave the office.
This is what I came here for though and I'm not complaining at all. I feel blessed and privileged to be here. Catching a glimpse of the English Channel shimmering in the sunlight the other day as I crested a hill toward the M20 made up for all the ugliness to which I stand witness. Besides which, someone has to stand witness to it and I'm grateful to be someone who gets to do that.
Now I have my beloved cat, a car, my shipment, fast internet and a tight group of colleagues. Life is getting better every day!!!!!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
In other news . . .
Once I get my car I'm gonna hit it full force on the home visits. I have a family with 6 kids who've just moved to Tunbridge Wells at our insistence as their home in Ashford was unsafe. I found out Friday that the landlord is giving them the eviction notice they need to get housing assistance in T Wells, but I promised the family my help on Tuesday. I thought it was gonna be to get their stuff out of their house in Ashford, but since they have the eviction notice (I thought they weren't gonna get it without getting their stuff out) hopefully I'll be able to just see all the kids and maybe drop in to Children's Social Services in that town. I did a chronology of previous referrals on the family and I am not so sure we're not gonna end up in conference on them - - at the very least if CSS in T Wells takes them I want to make sure they have a good idea of the family history.
I have 23 open cases and am ready to close 3. Prepared the closure letter and safeguarding agreements for the families but then realized I can't MAIL the suckers, "oh yeah, sign it at your leisure and get back to us." I don't think so. Gonna hafta take the documentation to the families and get it signed. Then there are the other 20 kids to see, resee, whatever. I did a lot of paperwork last week but didn't manage to see many kids - - got a ride to see one family and walked to see another. Did do a lot of phone work, set up meetings, etc. - - but seeing kids is the heart of my job and I would have done 2-3 times as much of that as I did last week if I'd had my car.
Asked again about getting a home laptop - - I can't use this one. You have to use one of KCC's and get their software loaded, AND go to training on how to use it. It does not look promising for the near future. I would like to be able to do the paperwork faster; it didn't hurt me spending time working on ICS (our computer system) as I only got the training a week ago. I would like to get up to speed on my caseload though; I think our average last week was about 8 new referrals every day.
I asked if I could have gotten to Tunbridge Wells on the train and was told no. I think I could have gotten there on the bus, but it would have taken all day.
Good thing the English countryside is so pretty. I WILL take some pictures soon.
I have 23 open cases and am ready to close 3. Prepared the closure letter and safeguarding agreements for the families but then realized I can't MAIL the suckers, "oh yeah, sign it at your leisure and get back to us." I don't think so. Gonna hafta take the documentation to the families and get it signed. Then there are the other 20 kids to see, resee, whatever. I did a lot of paperwork last week but didn't manage to see many kids - - got a ride to see one family and walked to see another. Did do a lot of phone work, set up meetings, etc. - - but seeing kids is the heart of my job and I would have done 2-3 times as much of that as I did last week if I'd had my car.
Asked again about getting a home laptop - - I can't use this one. You have to use one of KCC's and get their software loaded, AND go to training on how to use it. It does not look promising for the near future. I would like to be able to do the paperwork faster; it didn't hurt me spending time working on ICS (our computer system) as I only got the training a week ago. I would like to get up to speed on my caseload though; I think our average last week was about 8 new referrals every day.
I asked if I could have gotten to Tunbridge Wells on the train and was told no. I think I could have gotten there on the bus, but it would have taken all day.
Good thing the English countryside is so pretty. I WILL take some pictures soon.
At last, the kitka!!!
Toby came home Thursday!!!
Not without drama - - Continental wouldn't accept his crate b/c it was top and side loading, so Animal Land cajoled them to let him fly San Antonio to Houston in it and then get him a new crate in Houston. Which they did and it is HUGE. By my measurements it's 15" x 18" but it looks even bigger than that.
Can't get back the crate I left him at Traveling Tails in - - it was abandoned at the airport, and haven't called Traveling Tails to see if they can send the bag of toys and mommy-clothes I left but Animal Land says they don't do that - - and postage is indeed very expensive - - but I may end up contacting them anyway. When my shipment gets here I was careful to pack his and my very favorite toys, blankie and grooming comb in a bag - - but my shipment arrival date keeps changing, so I will go to Tesco tomorrow and spend 3 pounds on grooming supplies for him. He is a bit grubby. They put newspaper in the crate but you can't put a litter box. Other expats who have had cats shipped say they usually smell of wee when they get here, and he did, but I gave him a lil bath with dishwashing liquid and he smells better. But I need a comb to groom him. He will give up a LOT of hair to get back to baseline. Combing used to be our morning ritual so hopefully we can get back to that.
He has settled in better than I thought he would. He got here about 2:30 on Thursday afternoon and I showed him around a bit, then fell asleep on the duvet on the floor. When I woke up and went to go find him he was tucked into a corner in the upstairs bathroom, apparently a little freaked, but since then he's back to following me around like a puppydog as he always has. He sleeps in the front windowsill a lot to keep an eye on the neighborhood. When it's warmer I'll let him be in the solarium, where he can see the back garden life, but it is still pretty cold out there even though I did manage to turn on the radiator.
He must have been sound asleep yesterday b/c when I got home and called for him I heard nothing at first, and then it took him a while to get his voice back. Do cats get jet lag???
IT IS JUST BEYOND WONDERFUL TO HAVE HIM BACK WITH ME!!!!!
Not without drama - - Continental wouldn't accept his crate b/c it was top and side loading, so Animal Land cajoled them to let him fly San Antonio to Houston in it and then get him a new crate in Houston. Which they did and it is HUGE. By my measurements it's 15" x 18" but it looks even bigger than that.
Can't get back the crate I left him at Traveling Tails in - - it was abandoned at the airport, and haven't called Traveling Tails to see if they can send the bag of toys and mommy-clothes I left but Animal Land says they don't do that - - and postage is indeed very expensive - - but I may end up contacting them anyway. When my shipment gets here I was careful to pack his and my very favorite toys, blankie and grooming comb in a bag - - but my shipment arrival date keeps changing, so I will go to Tesco tomorrow and spend 3 pounds on grooming supplies for him. He is a bit grubby. They put newspaper in the crate but you can't put a litter box. Other expats who have had cats shipped say they usually smell of wee when they get here, and he did, but I gave him a lil bath with dishwashing liquid and he smells better. But I need a comb to groom him. He will give up a LOT of hair to get back to baseline. Combing used to be our morning ritual so hopefully we can get back to that.
He has settled in better than I thought he would. He got here about 2:30 on Thursday afternoon and I showed him around a bit, then fell asleep on the duvet on the floor. When I woke up and went to go find him he was tucked into a corner in the upstairs bathroom, apparently a little freaked, but since then he's back to following me around like a puppydog as he always has. He sleeps in the front windowsill a lot to keep an eye on the neighborhood. When it's warmer I'll let him be in the solarium, where he can see the back garden life, but it is still pretty cold out there even though I did manage to turn on the radiator.
He must have been sound asleep yesterday b/c when I got home and called for him I heard nothing at first, and then it took him a while to get his voice back. Do cats get jet lag???
IT IS JUST BEYOND WONDERFUL TO HAVE HIM BACK WITH ME!!!!!
Monday, March 15, 2010
I passed my driving assessment!!!
And now I get a CAR!!!!!
It's coming a week from tomorrow, the 23rd, in the morning. I'll have an orientation in it as my assessment today was not in the model car I will have, which is a Toyota Aygo. This was a Chevy, model I couldn't say. One of those "only in Europe" models.
The assessment was from 1100-1300 and it was just GORGEOUS out. We drove through the countryside and down to the village of Lenham, through which I've been many times on the train. It's on the way to Maidstone, the county town of Kent, which is on the way to London.
I have some bad US habits to unlearn and will start driving lessons as soon as I can. The good news is I understand roundabouts. I may not always drive them perfectly, as I don't think I've seen any drivers here who do, but I'm not terrified of them any more.
Soon I will have the ability to make home visits on my own when needed, and a good measure of my freedom back!!! AND my kitka!!!!!
Yup, things are heading in the right direction. :)
It's coming a week from tomorrow, the 23rd, in the morning. I'll have an orientation in it as my assessment today was not in the model car I will have, which is a Toyota Aygo. This was a Chevy, model I couldn't say. One of those "only in Europe" models.
The assessment was from 1100-1300 and it was just GORGEOUS out. We drove through the countryside and down to the village of Lenham, through which I've been many times on the train. It's on the way to Maidstone, the county town of Kent, which is on the way to London.
I have some bad US habits to unlearn and will start driving lessons as soon as I can. The good news is I understand roundabouts. I may not always drive them perfectly, as I don't think I've seen any drivers here who do, but I'm not terrified of them any more.
Soon I will have the ability to make home visits on my own when needed, and a good measure of my freedom back!!! AND my kitka!!!!!
Yup, things are heading in the right direction. :)
Friday, March 5, 2010
Life in Ashford
Things have been so busy at work. Lots of phone calls, visits, writing reports and then yesterday a training turned out to be someplace we had to walk to, so I was glad I had my walking shoes with me. My duvet and pillows finally got delivered (they were sitting in the depot for 2 weeks and the day I called they said it was too late and they were going back to the mfr, but the next day they showed up at my office) and my line manager Andy was kind enough to give them and me a lift home. We made a home visit to one of my families on the way. I'm off to ASDA (England's Wal-Mart) in about an hour to get a phone and maybe a foot pump for my Aerobed - - the wall plug crumbled in my hand when I pulled it out last night. After my shipment comes I won't need it right away and can get it fixed, but I'd like to firm it up for however many more days I hafta sleep on it. It's comfy but gets very cold in the middle of the night b/c it's an air mattress and convection causes it to get cold, so I wake up every night.
I did start my spiffy gas fireplace last night. I had tried it once before but this time stood in front of it with directions in hand. It's not complicated but of course the steps hafta be done in order. Once it's going you can set it to either a "coal fire" or "coke fire" effect. I have it on "coal fire" as that seems similar to wood fireplaces I've used - - flickering flames, etc. It felt soooo good last night to sit here with my back to it. And when you're done using it, push a button and off it goes!!!
Haven't heard anything about my cat since Monday, when the cat mover lady was gonna try to reach her London connection to see about getting him delivered in Ashford. Hopefully I will hear from her early next week. The latest email on my shipment was that it was due March 10 and then had to go through customs. I'd like it to be delivered on Saturday but don't know if that's possible. I'm going to a concert next Saturday anyway.
Sending this through while the internet is at its most able - - the connection is very slow at night, which is why I haven't been writing here. My phone and broadband were turned on last week, but I haven't received the broadband installation kit in the mail yet.
I do think spring is coming - - my walk to work takes me past a little brook and I saw a man fishing there yesterday. The grass is green too, probably from so much rain. It didn't rain at all last week though, which was a nice change, and a couple times I got home while there was still light outside. I haven't seen a crocus or a robin, but I'm told they're out there. And I saw a new duckling family on the lake at the Priory in Aylesford!!! :)
I did start my spiffy gas fireplace last night. I had tried it once before but this time stood in front of it with directions in hand. It's not complicated but of course the steps hafta be done in order. Once it's going you can set it to either a "coal fire" or "coke fire" effect. I have it on "coal fire" as that seems similar to wood fireplaces I've used - - flickering flames, etc. It felt soooo good last night to sit here with my back to it. And when you're done using it, push a button and off it goes!!!
Haven't heard anything about my cat since Monday, when the cat mover lady was gonna try to reach her London connection to see about getting him delivered in Ashford. Hopefully I will hear from her early next week. The latest email on my shipment was that it was due March 10 and then had to go through customs. I'd like it to be delivered on Saturday but don't know if that's possible. I'm going to a concert next Saturday anyway.
Sending this through while the internet is at its most able - - the connection is very slow at night, which is why I haven't been writing here. My phone and broadband were turned on last week, but I haven't received the broadband installation kit in the mail yet.
I do think spring is coming - - my walk to work takes me past a little brook and I saw a man fishing there yesterday. The grass is green too, probably from so much rain. It didn't rain at all last week though, which was a nice change, and a couple times I got home while there was still light outside. I haven't seen a crocus or a robin, but I'm told they're out there. And I saw a new duckling family on the lake at the Priory in Aylesford!!! :)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Update
My T-Mobile broadbabd USB stick has been blocking my access to this site since I bought it last Thursday, but I was able to get it to stop after calling the company. I bought it at Carphone Warehouse for 40 pounds and have 90 days free mobile broadband. Much cheaper than the 75 pounds a week for wireless broadband at the hotel.
Since I last updated I've been in to the office 3 times, found out my lease car isn't coming until April 1, had more trainings here at the hotel, and walked into the town centre of Ashford to register with my NHS doctor, Dr. Pinnock. His office is called North Street Surgery (surgery is what doctors' offices are called in the UK and it's on North Street.) He was recommended to me by one of the managers who interviewed me, Teresa, when we had a luncheon last week. I called his office and was told to come in to register in person, so when I was in the office yesterday, I did. It took me less than an hour to walk from my office to his, register, and walk back. I could have done it faster even probably. I have a nurse appointment Friday and have just finished filling out the paperwork for that. I only have enough carvedilol to get through Friday so hope they can hook me up with that PDQ. It's a beta blocker and the last time I ran out briefly my anxiety skyrocketed - - it definitely helps with anxiety.
Thought I could walk to work from home, but turns out it's too far, so I have been investigating buses. Emailed the bus company to enquire which bus line to take (I knew it would be B-line or C-line) and they recommended C-line boarding at Church Road. Since I didn't know where on Church Road the bus stop was, I called, and this time I was told there is a bus on Luckhurst Road (where my house is) that I can board to take to Town Centre, from which I can walk to the Civic Centre, where my office is. I guess, after I get the house keys on Friday, I can see where the bus stop is. Haven't heard yet when to be at work Monday morning but one of the trainers today told me 9:30 would be good, as my manager would probably want to deal with the rubbish on her desk before having to deal with a new worker first thing Monday, LOL.
I've ordered an Aerobed and before I could get hold of the delivery company (had to wait for Amazon.co.uk's seller to forward me the consignment number) it had been delivered and signed for by a D. Jones, who is apparently one of my neighbours. Hopefully I will be able to get it without difficulty, as well as make my nurse appointment at 4:40 p.m. Friday.
Many people here order groceries online and have them delivered, and since I'll be without a car for a while, I will probably do the same. Planning to camp out in the house until my shipment comes, ETA March 8, Also hoping to send for Toby once I get the keys to the house and see how much money I have left. Money will still be tight at least until my second paycheck. Pretty much everyone in our group of new social workers is worried about not having brought enough money and I even heard one of the most stable-seeming of us today musing about whether she had enough money for a plane ticket home. At lunch she said she had hit the wall in regards to making decisions about so many things every day and had decided not to make any more decisions for a while. We tend to talk each other down when one or the other of us gets wrapped around the axle, which happens to all of us at one time or another.
I'm going into Maidstone tomorrow to get 2 passport photographs, which I will need for my work ID, and hopefully get to the bank when it is open so I can deposit the check I've been carrying from selling my car in the US. I'd also like to transfer the money on my US debit card to my UK debit card and deposit the small amount of US currency I have. The banks are generally open about 10 to 4:30 and I haven't been able to get to a branch since receiving my debit card and other banking info a week ago Monday. It's not an emergency but it is something I would like to get done.
I'm working on trying to slow down in general - - it takes longer to get things done here and the pace of life is generally slower, which I wanted, but I didn't realize how much I was used to getting things done immediately if not sooner. For instance, I set up broadband and phone at the house on February 13 and the first available install date was March 1. It's fine, just different. Once I hit the groove I know I will enjoy slowing down very much. Not to mention 26 days off a year, plus holidays!!!
Driving in the UK is a sepaarate post and I'm not going there yet.
All in all I'm doing well and feeling quite happy. I do have occasional stabs of loneliness and try to avoid using my mobile as it costs 80p (what, about $1.50)a minute to call the US. I've topped it up with 10 pounds at least 4-5 times. Can't figure out what happened this last time. As far as I can tell I only used the mobile for local calls after my last top-up and it ran out of money in absolutely no time. Maybe it's the same rate to make calls within the UK as it is to call the US. I don't think it is but I haven't checked specifically. I'm on a PAYG (pay as you go) plan and changed my tariff (rate plan) to one that looked more affordable than the one I started with, but it would probably be cheaper to get a contract. However, not all the new social workers have been able to get phone contracts as they require credit, which we don't yet have in the UK. We've been told different things about how long one has to be here to get credit; 3-6 months is the average. I still have my US cell phone, which I like very much, but don't know about using it - - it's out of date already, of course, and I want to keep my UK mobile number, which I've finally only just memorized. I was given a mobile at work too but I don't seem able to charge it up with the charger I have for my other UK mobile, which is odd in that they're both Nokias. It seems to plug in with the charger I have but the indicator doesn't start flashing while it's charging as it does for my other phone. Oh well, filing that under ongoing mysteries of UK life.
I so can't tell what people are saying the first sentence they say to me, When they realize I'm American they slow down and it gets better. Still a lot of "what does that mean?" on my part though. Quite funny sometimes IMO. The woman sitting next to me in the office, on my asking why the radiator next to me was making odd noises, said she'd "had a moan" about it, meaning she'd called maintenance. I didn't understand her at first and when I did I busted out laughing. Fortunately she didn't take it personally - - it just hit me funny at that particular point. I really find that I'm taking on phraseology quite a bit; it's part of congruency in my social work practice and also there are lots of expressions and words I quite like, and I'd like people to forget I'm American to the extent I can by modifying my speech.
I hear seagulls every time I'm in Ashford, where I'm working. It's only about 10 miles from the coast so it's not surprising, but it just intrigues me. I haven't seen the ocean since I've been here and there has been a lot of snow in Ashford, and I associate seagulls with the warm, palmy beaches of my childhood. It kinda makes me feel as if I'm in a Pink Floyd video.
I'll write more when I have time and now that I can get onto my blog. :)
Since I last updated I've been in to the office 3 times, found out my lease car isn't coming until April 1, had more trainings here at the hotel, and walked into the town centre of Ashford to register with my NHS doctor, Dr. Pinnock. His office is called North Street Surgery (surgery is what doctors' offices are called in the UK and it's on North Street.) He was recommended to me by one of the managers who interviewed me, Teresa, when we had a luncheon last week. I called his office and was told to come in to register in person, so when I was in the office yesterday, I did. It took me less than an hour to walk from my office to his, register, and walk back. I could have done it faster even probably. I have a nurse appointment Friday and have just finished filling out the paperwork for that. I only have enough carvedilol to get through Friday so hope they can hook me up with that PDQ. It's a beta blocker and the last time I ran out briefly my anxiety skyrocketed - - it definitely helps with anxiety.
Thought I could walk to work from home, but turns out it's too far, so I have been investigating buses. Emailed the bus company to enquire which bus line to take (I knew it would be B-line or C-line) and they recommended C-line boarding at Church Road. Since I didn't know where on Church Road the bus stop was, I called, and this time I was told there is a bus on Luckhurst Road (where my house is) that I can board to take to Town Centre, from which I can walk to the Civic Centre, where my office is. I guess, after I get the house keys on Friday, I can see where the bus stop is. Haven't heard yet when to be at work Monday morning but one of the trainers today told me 9:30 would be good, as my manager would probably want to deal with the rubbish on her desk before having to deal with a new worker first thing Monday, LOL.
I've ordered an Aerobed and before I could get hold of the delivery company (had to wait for Amazon.co.uk's seller to forward me the consignment number) it had been delivered and signed for by a D. Jones, who is apparently one of my neighbours. Hopefully I will be able to get it without difficulty, as well as make my nurse appointment at 4:40 p.m. Friday.
Many people here order groceries online and have them delivered, and since I'll be without a car for a while, I will probably do the same. Planning to camp out in the house until my shipment comes, ETA March 8, Also hoping to send for Toby once I get the keys to the house and see how much money I have left. Money will still be tight at least until my second paycheck. Pretty much everyone in our group of new social workers is worried about not having brought enough money and I even heard one of the most stable-seeming of us today musing about whether she had enough money for a plane ticket home. At lunch she said she had hit the wall in regards to making decisions about so many things every day and had decided not to make any more decisions for a while. We tend to talk each other down when one or the other of us gets wrapped around the axle, which happens to all of us at one time or another.
I'm going into Maidstone tomorrow to get 2 passport photographs, which I will need for my work ID, and hopefully get to the bank when it is open so I can deposit the check I've been carrying from selling my car in the US. I'd also like to transfer the money on my US debit card to my UK debit card and deposit the small amount of US currency I have. The banks are generally open about 10 to 4:30 and I haven't been able to get to a branch since receiving my debit card and other banking info a week ago Monday. It's not an emergency but it is something I would like to get done.
I'm working on trying to slow down in general - - it takes longer to get things done here and the pace of life is generally slower, which I wanted, but I didn't realize how much I was used to getting things done immediately if not sooner. For instance, I set up broadband and phone at the house on February 13 and the first available install date was March 1. It's fine, just different. Once I hit the groove I know I will enjoy slowing down very much. Not to mention 26 days off a year, plus holidays!!!
Driving in the UK is a sepaarate post and I'm not going there yet.
All in all I'm doing well and feeling quite happy. I do have occasional stabs of loneliness and try to avoid using my mobile as it costs 80p (what, about $1.50)a minute to call the US. I've topped it up with 10 pounds at least 4-5 times. Can't figure out what happened this last time. As far as I can tell I only used the mobile for local calls after my last top-up and it ran out of money in absolutely no time. Maybe it's the same rate to make calls within the UK as it is to call the US. I don't think it is but I haven't checked specifically. I'm on a PAYG (pay as you go) plan and changed my tariff (rate plan) to one that looked more affordable than the one I started with, but it would probably be cheaper to get a contract. However, not all the new social workers have been able to get phone contracts as they require credit, which we don't yet have in the UK. We've been told different things about how long one has to be here to get credit; 3-6 months is the average. I still have my US cell phone, which I like very much, but don't know about using it - - it's out of date already, of course, and I want to keep my UK mobile number, which I've finally only just memorized. I was given a mobile at work too but I don't seem able to charge it up with the charger I have for my other UK mobile, which is odd in that they're both Nokias. It seems to plug in with the charger I have but the indicator doesn't start flashing while it's charging as it does for my other phone. Oh well, filing that under ongoing mysteries of UK life.
I so can't tell what people are saying the first sentence they say to me, When they realize I'm American they slow down and it gets better. Still a lot of "what does that mean?" on my part though. Quite funny sometimes IMO. The woman sitting next to me in the office, on my asking why the radiator next to me was making odd noises, said she'd "had a moan" about it, meaning she'd called maintenance. I didn't understand her at first and when I did I busted out laughing. Fortunately she didn't take it personally - - it just hit me funny at that particular point. I really find that I'm taking on phraseology quite a bit; it's part of congruency in my social work practice and also there are lots of expressions and words I quite like, and I'd like people to forget I'm American to the extent I can by modifying my speech.
I hear seagulls every time I'm in Ashford, where I'm working. It's only about 10 miles from the coast so it's not surprising, but it just intrigues me. I haven't seen the ocean since I've been here and there has been a lot of snow in Ashford, and I associate seagulls with the warm, palmy beaches of my childhood. It kinda makes me feel as if I'm in a Pink Floyd video.
I'll write more when I have time and now that I can get onto my blog. :)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Went into Ashford today and had so much fun. It was cold but not snowy here in Maidstone, then halfway to Ashford on the M20 we hit a blizzard!!! It just snowed and snowed and snowed. My assigned buddy Hazel drove me back to the Hilton this afternoon, by which time there were at least 3-4 inches of snow on the ground and I got my first experience with lotsa gray SLUSH that I've heard of all my life. While I was sitting up on the 2nd, uh, 3rd floor (first floor = ground floor, 2nd floor = first floor, 3rd floor = 2nd floor UK:US conversion) it snowed on and off. It was so cozy.
I think I am really gonna like working in Ashford. We're all in a big room together. There are 2 other duty social workers (which is what they're calling what I'll be doing) and they're glad to have me as they have been quite overworked. All the other social workers are there too - - Hannah, who will be working on a long-term care team and is with my group of recent American arrivees, will be in the room with me, which is great. It's just the warmest, friendliest atmosphere you could ask for. Apparently it's SOP to be asked if you want tea or coffee every hour or so, so that's lovely. Just talking to everybody was great. I'm going in again tomorrow but only for a couple hours - - Andy, one of the other workers, has a home visit in the morning but he will pick me up after that - - probably around 11:30 or 12, and then he's leaving around 2 or 3 to get his kids. I think I will finally meet Deb, my line manager, tomorrow though. She wasn't in today.
Well, since it's early and the shops are open late I think I'm gonna try taking the bus into Maidstone. It's time for me to try as I haven't done it before. Laters!!! :)
I think I am really gonna like working in Ashford. We're all in a big room together. There are 2 other duty social workers (which is what they're calling what I'll be doing) and they're glad to have me as they have been quite overworked. All the other social workers are there too - - Hannah, who will be working on a long-term care team and is with my group of recent American arrivees, will be in the room with me, which is great. It's just the warmest, friendliest atmosphere you could ask for. Apparently it's SOP to be asked if you want tea or coffee every hour or so, so that's lovely. Just talking to everybody was great. I'm going in again tomorrow but only for a couple hours - - Andy, one of the other workers, has a home visit in the morning but he will pick me up after that - - probably around 11:30 or 12, and then he's leaving around 2 or 3 to get his kids. I think I will finally meet Deb, my line manager, tomorrow though. She wasn't in today.
Well, since it's early and the shops are open late I think I'm gonna try taking the bus into Maidstone. It's time for me to try as I haven't done it before. Laters!!! :)
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Apparently quite a few of us didn't pass our driving assessments. We're not getting another lesson until 10 days before our cars come in - - and that could be a while. We were told 5-8 weeks on that.
Today we had a session on adapting to British life. It was quite good actually. The instructor was not reluctant to talk about specifics of interacting with clients, colleagues and management. It turns out KCC brought social workers here a while back and want to do a better job this time, so they're trying really hard to prepare us. They're very well aware that coping with moving country is quite a big job, or rather series of jobs and emotional experiences, which is comforting. Gives me confidence that things will work out as we go along.
We did get a reminder of how rude and blunt our clients can be - - as if we needed it - - we've all been there, but this was in the context of talking about how most British people are not particularly direct and certainly not confrontational, and how even some of our American forthrightness can be misinterpreted as too "in your face." We discussed ways to handle such situations with clients though, so really it was quite helpful.
Gonna try to get an early night tonight as I'm being picked up at 7:45 to 8 a.m. for a ride into Ashford with a social worker who works there but lives in Maidstone. Not sure what I'm gonna do, but I should get to meet some people, so that will be nice.
Feeling much more sanguine and much less worried today than I did yesterday.
Today we had a session on adapting to British life. It was quite good actually. The instructor was not reluctant to talk about specifics of interacting with clients, colleagues and management. It turns out KCC brought social workers here a while back and want to do a better job this time, so they're trying really hard to prepare us. They're very well aware that coping with moving country is quite a big job, or rather series of jobs and emotional experiences, which is comforting. Gives me confidence that things will work out as we go along.
We did get a reminder of how rude and blunt our clients can be - - as if we needed it - - we've all been there, but this was in the context of talking about how most British people are not particularly direct and certainly not confrontational, and how even some of our American forthrightness can be misinterpreted as too "in your face." We discussed ways to handle such situations with clients though, so really it was quite helpful.
Gonna try to get an early night tonight as I'm being picked up at 7:45 to 8 a.m. for a ride into Ashford with a social worker who works there but lives in Maidstone. Not sure what I'm gonna do, but I should get to meet some people, so that will be nice.
Feeling much more sanguine and much less worried today than I did yesterday.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Driving . . .
Well, I'm depressed. The driving assessor is recommending another 2-hour session for me. I thought I did OK - - but not great. She said I needed more experience with roundabouts and she's right. Of the other social workers I've talked to, 3 passed their assessments and one did not.
If I don't pass next time, I have to pay 50 quid for a 3rd mandatory session. Hope THAT doesn't happen. IDK. It was fun driving today, just being out and about. I mean, I did the motorway and everything. That went well - - it was the bloody roundabouts and keeping away from the kerb. Oh yeah, and I kept shifting into 4th instead of 2nd - - think I need to push the shift to the left, instead of to the right as is my habit.
Of course I've been very nervous about this and didn't sleep terribly well last night. If I didn't have to drive for work I might not - - at least for a while - - just being on the roads and getting used to how things work. It's all still VERY new to me and I don't think I pick up new info as quickly as when I was younger either.
That said, I'll get there eventually. Don't know when we'll get lease cars yet anyway. Of course, any cars that are available will go to those that have passed their assessments first. Once I get past the assessment that says I'm fit to drive the lease car, I hafta start preparing for the UK driving test since I'll need a UK licence within a year and it may take that long.
Fortunately I had no illusions that my first year in the UK would be easy - - I knew it would be tough and things would come up that I might not know how to manage straightaway. Things will get better. The meantime, sometimes, is hard to get through. I've been walking a lot but not really enough to shed stress. More meditation would seem in order.
Am I whingeing enough yet???
Waah, :(
If I don't pass next time, I have to pay 50 quid for a 3rd mandatory session. Hope THAT doesn't happen. IDK. It was fun driving today, just being out and about. I mean, I did the motorway and everything. That went well - - it was the bloody roundabouts and keeping away from the kerb. Oh yeah, and I kept shifting into 4th instead of 2nd - - think I need to push the shift to the left, instead of to the right as is my habit.
Of course I've been very nervous about this and didn't sleep terribly well last night. If I didn't have to drive for work I might not - - at least for a while - - just being on the roads and getting used to how things work. It's all still VERY new to me and I don't think I pick up new info as quickly as when I was younger either.
That said, I'll get there eventually. Don't know when we'll get lease cars yet anyway. Of course, any cars that are available will go to those that have passed their assessments first. Once I get past the assessment that says I'm fit to drive the lease car, I hafta start preparing for the UK driving test since I'll need a UK licence within a year and it may take that long.
Fortunately I had no illusions that my first year in the UK would be easy - - I knew it would be tough and things would come up that I might not know how to manage straightaway. Things will get better. The meantime, sometimes, is hard to get through. I've been walking a lot but not really enough to shed stress. More meditation would seem in order.
Am I whingeing enough yet???
Waah, :(
Sunday, February 7, 2010
7 February 2010!!!
Been moving toward this day for soooo long, and it's finally here!!! Well, it's almost over now. I got to the Hilton about 12:30 or 1 p.m. Our "social" was to be at 5 p.m. but the hotel desk told me it had been changed to 6 p.m. as of today. I hung out in the room and paid 5 pounds for an hour of free internet - - used it up mostly on business - - paid for another hour later and ran out just as I was about to finish something - - so now I've broken down and parted with 75 quid for a week. I've been sooo internet deprived, and absolutely everything I'm having to do here requires internet. Read and reread the banking info I got by mail, was gonna try to activate my debit card by text, but really getting online was the only way to go. You CAN do things by phone, but online is way easier almost every time, I'm finding.
There is no LIFT in this hotel!!! (Uh, I mean elevator. Pardon me when I lapse into UK-speak - - it's happening more frequently every day.) I'm only on the 2nd floor but yeah, I got hotel staff to carry my suitcase from hell up the stairs. Kevin at the B&B said it wasn't that heavy and I have moved stuff out of it into other luggage - - but he's a 30ish in-shape guy. Maybe if I was working out I coulda done it, but I'm not so no way. Anyway, when it came time to leave I was walking around my floor making SURE there wasn't a lift (couldn't really believe it) and ran into another social worker, so we walked down together. Her last job was in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where my brother lives. What are the chances??!!??
There really ISN'T a lift in this hotel.
The social was seeing the managers that hired us again, snackies and drinkies, a wee bit of paperwork, and off to dinner. (Oh btw they DO sell alcohol in the grocery stores - - I saw some Bacardi and some Tia Maria before I took myself outta that section!!!)
Dinner was buffet-style in the hotel's restaurant. Apparently we have 20 pounds 50 pence per night for our dinners, and this week we can take them in our rooms if we want. We have individualized schedules which we received along with other items in a tote at the social. Looks like we're mostly together the first couple days, then start splitting off to do different things. In that I already have housing, I have about 5 days during the 2 weeks where my schedule is "to be determined." Ideally I'll finalize my housing, buy a TV and schedule its delivery, schedule the TV/phone/internet service install, like that.
We're supposed to get snow/sleet/freezing rain starting as early as tonight!!! We have DRIVING LESSONS on Tuesday!!! Don't know which is more exciting.
None of us seem to know what we can afford yet, and we're all planning our first trips into Paris and/or London . . .
There is no LIFT in this hotel!!! (Uh, I mean elevator. Pardon me when I lapse into UK-speak - - it's happening more frequently every day.) I'm only on the 2nd floor but yeah, I got hotel staff to carry my suitcase from hell up the stairs. Kevin at the B&B said it wasn't that heavy and I have moved stuff out of it into other luggage - - but he's a 30ish in-shape guy. Maybe if I was working out I coulda done it, but I'm not so no way. Anyway, when it came time to leave I was walking around my floor making SURE there wasn't a lift (couldn't really believe it) and ran into another social worker, so we walked down together. Her last job was in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where my brother lives. What are the chances??!!??
There really ISN'T a lift in this hotel.
The social was seeing the managers that hired us again, snackies and drinkies, a wee bit of paperwork, and off to dinner. (Oh btw they DO sell alcohol in the grocery stores - - I saw some Bacardi and some Tia Maria before I took myself outta that section!!!)
Dinner was buffet-style in the hotel's restaurant. Apparently we have 20 pounds 50 pence per night for our dinners, and this week we can take them in our rooms if we want. We have individualized schedules which we received along with other items in a tote at the social. Looks like we're mostly together the first couple days, then start splitting off to do different things. In that I already have housing, I have about 5 days during the 2 weeks where my schedule is "to be determined." Ideally I'll finalize my housing, buy a TV and schedule its delivery, schedule the TV/phone/internet service install, like that.
We're supposed to get snow/sleet/freezing rain starting as early as tonight!!! We have DRIVING LESSONS on Tuesday!!! Don't know which is more exciting.
None of us seem to know what we can afford yet, and we're all planning our first trips into Paris and/or London . . .
Thursday, February 4, 2010
I'm here!!!
Better make this quick as I'm gonna run outta juice and air time. Had the best jetliner ride I ever had from JFK to LHR - - slept for half an hour before we ever left the ground, had dinner, watched the Michael Jackson movie "This Is It" twice on my personal video screen, started listening to some jazz on the AA channel, had a continental breakfast (croissant and OJ) and landed. There was snow on the ground at Heathrow!!! It was quite cold the first day or two but it's been warming up since. It was sunny at first too but has been gray and drizzly since. Ironing my hair EVERY night, as I thought I would.
Found a place to live on Tuesday - - it's a semi-detached house with a lovely solarium and back garden (back yard.) I move in the 18th or 19th. It's close to work, I can walk into town and it's close to Ashford International rail station too. Between now and Sunday, when I move into the Hilton in Maidstone for induction, I don't have anything I have to do. Yesterday after signing documents for the house, the relo lady dropped me off in the Maidstone high street and I wandered around there for hours and went to the Chequers mall. Today I'm at the Society Rooms/Wetherspoon restaurant for the free wifi. It's in the Maidstone high street too. When I leave here I may walk back to the Chequers mall - - there's a used book I want to buy there. Or I may go back to the B&B. This laptop is HEAVY when you cart it around without a shoulder strap.
Having a blast so far though!!! The TV is great!!! Have seen some good documentaries, some funny shows, and the chat shows discuss interesting topics with people in their fields. Not so celebrity-driven. I've learned a lot about Afghanistan and the economy from watching TV, and am trying to pick up on British social habits from talking to Brits and listening to conversations on the streets.
I like the word "blimey."
More later . . .
Found a place to live on Tuesday - - it's a semi-detached house with a lovely solarium and back garden (back yard.) I move in the 18th or 19th. It's close to work, I can walk into town and it's close to Ashford International rail station too. Between now and Sunday, when I move into the Hilton in Maidstone for induction, I don't have anything I have to do. Yesterday after signing documents for the house, the relo lady dropped me off in the Maidstone high street and I wandered around there for hours and went to the Chequers mall. Today I'm at the Society Rooms/Wetherspoon restaurant for the free wifi. It's in the Maidstone high street too. When I leave here I may walk back to the Chequers mall - - there's a used book I want to buy there. Or I may go back to the B&B. This laptop is HEAVY when you cart it around without a shoulder strap.
Having a blast so far though!!! The TV is great!!! Have seen some good documentaries, some funny shows, and the chat shows discuss interesting topics with people in their fields. Not so celebrity-driven. I've learned a lot about Afghanistan and the economy from watching TV, and am trying to pick up on British social habits from talking to Brits and listening to conversations on the streets.
I like the word "blimey."
More later . . .
Friday, January 22, 2010
Off topic but . . .
Jazzercise tonight KICKED MY @$$!!! My balance was SHITE as I haven't worked out since the 7th other than a few yoga poses at home. Yes, I do better when my core is stronger, but there's this lumbar stenosis that I'm told affects my balance - - I wonder how well I can really do unless I get that fixed??? Which obviously I'm not planning to do - - my balance is better than it used to be ever since the first steroid injectino when doc withdrew arthritic fluid - - I still worry about falling though and have nightmares about slipping on ice while flat-hunting. I love the Friday night teacher too - - Mary is GREAT!!! Love her knowledge of music, her athleticism, and that she has international experience too - - coordinates Russian teaching in the San Antonio HS system - - how cool is THAT??!!?? Teaches English too and comments on bad grammar in songs. I love it. Came home and am trying to use up my Lidoderm patches rather than take them with me, so took off my sports bra to apply to my upper back and when I put it back on the bottom was SOAKED. Didn't know I had worked THAT hard!!! But TG I did!!! Between moving and car issues, I hadn't worked out since the 7th.
Then I got seduced by the Haiti telethon - - Stevie Wonder was playing when I got home - - this is the second time in a week that I've heard a tune of his and not been able to remember what it was later. I've been a fan of his ever since I can remember. I really need the music/performance vibes right now and whatever he was playing, I was singing along and noting his chord choices and vocal choices, and so often I would make the sasme choices he does - - his performance fed my soul. Didn't cry until John Legend with "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child." Sooooo powerful and moving. And the Haitian woman who sang "Many Rivers to Cross"!!!!! By far the best rendition I've ever heard. Bono and Rhianna duetting??? Awesome. "Haiti, we won't leave you stranded." Madonna singing "Like a Prayer?" I didn't like what she did with the tune at the end but up to then it was going well. She's a year younger than me. And Neil Young and - - I don't know who it was he was duetting with, but I had forgotten how Neil can hit and hold the high notes. Dang. I shoulda been working but I went way over my commitment today - - and I really need to feed my soul right now - - I'm sad about being separated from Toby and Michael. Toby hopefully for not too long and hopefully neither one permanently - - but you never know. I'm in a pretty emotional place right now.
I have really GOT to get an electric piano ASAP - - so many times this week I've actually gotten up and headed to the living room to play - - forgetting there's no piano there!!! It's been my refuge for emotional healing since I was a tiny child. There just ain't no substitutzky.
Went to the bank and ordered currency today. 60 pounds for $102.47. They'll call me when it's ready. Should be by Wednesday.
Gonna work as hard as I can this weekend and then hit the moving preps hard Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to get ready to GO!!! I leave a week from tomorrow!!!!!
I so wish I was 20 years younger going into this experience. I never believed that getting older really DID change you physically, mentally and emotionally. Well, guess what - - it does. I've been modifying in Jazzercise for years - - getting older is requiring me to modify how I do a lot of things - - but I never feel prepared for the ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Thank you, David Bowie.
Onward and upward!!! As Michael says, in time all will be good.
Then I got seduced by the Haiti telethon - - Stevie Wonder was playing when I got home - - this is the second time in a week that I've heard a tune of his and not been able to remember what it was later. I've been a fan of his ever since I can remember. I really need the music/performance vibes right now and whatever he was playing, I was singing along and noting his chord choices and vocal choices, and so often I would make the sasme choices he does - - his performance fed my soul. Didn't cry until John Legend with "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child." Sooooo powerful and moving. And the Haitian woman who sang "Many Rivers to Cross"!!!!! By far the best rendition I've ever heard. Bono and Rhianna duetting??? Awesome. "Haiti, we won't leave you stranded." Madonna singing "Like a Prayer?" I didn't like what she did with the tune at the end but up to then it was going well. She's a year younger than me. And Neil Young and - - I don't know who it was he was duetting with, but I had forgotten how Neil can hit and hold the high notes. Dang. I shoulda been working but I went way over my commitment today - - and I really need to feed my soul right now - - I'm sad about being separated from Toby and Michael. Toby hopefully for not too long and hopefully neither one permanently - - but you never know. I'm in a pretty emotional place right now.
I have really GOT to get an electric piano ASAP - - so many times this week I've actually gotten up and headed to the living room to play - - forgetting there's no piano there!!! It's been my refuge for emotional healing since I was a tiny child. There just ain't no substitutzky.
Went to the bank and ordered currency today. 60 pounds for $102.47. They'll call me when it's ready. Should be by Wednesday.
Gonna work as hard as I can this weekend and then hit the moving preps hard Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to get ready to GO!!! I leave a week from tomorrow!!!!!
I so wish I was 20 years younger going into this experience. I never believed that getting older really DID change you physically, mentally and emotionally. Well, guess what - - it does. I've been modifying in Jazzercise for years - - getting older is requiring me to modify how I do a lot of things - - but I never feel prepared for the ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Thank you, David Bowie.
Onward and upward!!! As Michael says, in time all will be good.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Toby's ready . . .
Got his paperwork back from the USDA in Austin. Not without drama. He had 2 rabies vaccine certificates, one from January 27 (which would have been good for my original Kent start date) and one from November 11 (by which time start dates had been pushed to February.) One said he was a DSH and one a DLH. The vet who had declared him DLH called me and asked which was true. I said DLH. She said the other vet had called him DSH and they needed to redo their paperwork. I called the other vet to give them a heads up. Apparently USDA called them about 3 different things before things were finally set right. Fed Ex brought the completed paperwork back to me from the USDA Thursday and I faxed it to Dana, the pet mover, on Friday. When I drop him off at Traveling Tails on January 27, I need to bring his 3-page USDA paperwork (actually it's an EU health certificate with the USDA's approval), his 2 rabies vaccines, and a copy of his rabies titer. Got em all and he's ready.
I also donated some clothes to Goodwill this week. Next week I will call and arrange with the Salvation Army to come and pick up furniture. I have next week and the week after to get the apartment clear of furniture I don't want to take. Then the week of the 25th, I will be completely off work and can devote my full attention to whatever remains to be done. The packers and movers are coming on the 28th. The plan is to stay in Michael's apartment after the movers are done until I hafta go to the airport on the 30th, but his apartment is being worked on by the owners. Hopefully they will be done by then, but if not I can always stay in a Fairfield Inn, as I've done in the past when I needed temporary housing. Or maybe something cheaper, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Oh yeah, I quit one of my jobs this week as I was having equipment issues and needed the time to deal with moving. I feel more relaxed than I did. It really makes weekends a lot easier - - I was able to work out last night and today I finally went back to the "Nine Lives" bookstore, which I've been wanting to do for ages. Picked up a couple books for the trip and petted the resident kitties. And talked to the cashier, who in the past went to England to take part in a "Canterbury Tales" reenactment complete with chain mail. Very pre-9/11. 1978, in fact. The security people were confounded even then though. I don't think they're used to seeing a lot of, uh, ARMOR. Like, knight-wear. LOL!!!
I also donated some clothes to Goodwill this week. Next week I will call and arrange with the Salvation Army to come and pick up furniture. I have next week and the week after to get the apartment clear of furniture I don't want to take. Then the week of the 25th, I will be completely off work and can devote my full attention to whatever remains to be done. The packers and movers are coming on the 28th. The plan is to stay in Michael's apartment after the movers are done until I hafta go to the airport on the 30th, but his apartment is being worked on by the owners. Hopefully they will be done by then, but if not I can always stay in a Fairfield Inn, as I've done in the past when I needed temporary housing. Or maybe something cheaper, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Oh yeah, I quit one of my jobs this week as I was having equipment issues and needed the time to deal with moving. I feel more relaxed than I did. It really makes weekends a lot easier - - I was able to work out last night and today I finally went back to the "Nine Lives" bookstore, which I've been wanting to do for ages. Picked up a couple books for the trip and petted the resident kitties. And talked to the cashier, who in the past went to England to take part in a "Canterbury Tales" reenactment complete with chain mail. Very pre-9/11. 1978, in fact. The security people were confounded even then though. I don't think they're used to seeing a lot of, uh, ARMOR. Like, knight-wear. LOL!!!
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