Ever closer

The time moves ever closer. 2 days to go before I'm off to pastures new. A little daunted, a little excited. I moved a few other boxes with Jerome tonight (Cheers Matey!). The real bulk will be on Saturday. Gotta chat with DB tomorrow.

I have a training session at work tomorrow. Its a company thing called 'Sense & Respond' a method of anticipating a client's needs and offering extra service and value. It's gonna be another string in my bow and another profile building exercise. It starts at 9:30 so at least I get a lay in too! :-)

My article was published in the company news letter today. Looks grand. I got some brilliant feedback about it too. I have a feeling I may be called upon to do a similar thing in the future. Not bad considering I flunked English at school :-)

I also have Salsa tomorrow. Not only is Clare going, but I have another guest, Matt going too! Maybe I will be able to get the desk dancing ;-) Go on Nick, you know you want to LOL

Stay Safe

Movin' On

My inpending move grows ever closer. Today, I'm awaiting my good friend Jerome who is going to help me move some pre-packed boxes to the new flat. I have a load more good to go. Last week, Michael T helped me do the same. It will then be a case of grabbing the last remaining stuff next Saturday when I hire a van for Danny B to drive.

It will be good to get into my own space and also be a change to have total control. I think it will be quite liberating. I have a rake of things to get hold of. Various home making type things. Would be nice to have a TV as well!

I updated my Flickr page last night (link on the right hand column). I had a great time at Katie and Jame's birthday party. Took lots of pictures for them. I also met Ron who owns and trains a beautiful Harris Hawk. Previous to the party, I visited Greenwich again and took some shots of the Cutty Sark and the Maritime buildings.

Interesting week coming up...

RSS Feeds

RSS

Due to the fact that my K800i can recieve RSS news feeds, I discovered an extra bit to add on here. If you now view down the right hand side bar, you will see the BBC Science/Nature news, NASAs breaking news and NASAs picture of the day. These automatically update whenever you view my blog :-) Pretty neat huh?

Flat

My studio flat waits for me. I'm going to be finalising the agreement and picking up the keys on Tuesday with a bit of luck and a following wind. Just as well because my parents are moving on the 30th! Some kind friends from work are going to lend a hand in the week moving small stuff for me.

Article@Work

The interview for the works article never came off. The chap in question was very busy. He later apologised. Despite it's missing interview, the article was a hit with the management. All of them complimented it. As a knock on from that, I've also been asked to be a 'Comms Champion' and also to stand in for supervisors for hour slots on the late shift. Finally things are happening at work!

A Place To Be

Finally I've found a flat!

Its in a place called Crayford. I used to work there a couple of years ago in a small computer shop that is no longer there. I know the place, the people and my daughter lives with her mother within walking distance.

I had to laugh, the door No. is 13 :-) The estate agent, a really helpful chap by the name of Mustafa, showed me 4 apartments but I really got a good feeling in No. 13. I've put the deposit down and I'm doing the rest of the paperwork tomorrow. Should be a nice place to live for a time. Hopefully I'll be able to see my daughter a bit more regularly too.

In other news: I was asked to write an article at work today. Its for the main company newsletter. Tomorrow I'm scheduled to interview one of the service delivery managers for an additional part of writing. Should be interesting because I will need to do it over the phone. I've had a phone interview myself but never given one. Stay tuned...

Note: Photo courtesy Charles Conran Group PLC

Thursdays Salsa

OK Here's last Thursdays Salsa routine.

Footscray Rugby Club - 07/09/2006 - Janet

123 567 - Basic
123 567 - X-Body LT
123 567 - M '6-Pack' Left Turn with swap r>r
123 567 - LFST and turn 180 (Facing away with hand over right shoulder)
123 567 - Overcoat High (LFST on 5)
123 567 - Overcoat Low (Bring Lady round on r with LT)
123 567 - Haircomb X-Body
123 567 - Half Titanic
123 567 - Dip and turn Lady out
123 567 - Copa + LT
123 567 - X-Body to closed

Key:

LFST - Ladies Forward Step Turn (Cuban Turn)
LSSS - Ladies Side Step Spin
MSSS - Mens Side Step Spin
X-Body - Cross Body

Quite nice. I like those overcoat moves but the copa I can never get in the beat.

Close To The Chapel

Close To The Chapel
Originally uploaded by Destinys Agent.

This is a closer view of the lovely chapel that lies at the foot of the hill at Mwnt in Wales. This image was captured on my Canon EOS 20D and hence is far better quality than my K800i phone could ever manage.

Nikki Demonstrates

Showing us round

So, 4 days after starting my First Aid Course, I've completed it. I take great pleasure in reporting I passed which makes me a qualified first aider. Quite an eye-opening excercise to do the course and be assessed on performance. Nikki, seen above showing us around the St. John Ambulance in the location the course was held, did an exemplary job in training me and 9 others. The test 'casualty' was made to remark after our assessments that our group was the best in over a year of her experience.

At least I can go back to work tomorrow and be a little more regarded. I'll also be checking the office first aid kit!

Thanks go to Margaret who looked after us at the venue with Teas/Coffees/Buscuits and of course to Nikki for training us and also to Richard, Fred our assessors and Jan our test casualty.

Side of the van

All white

Ambulance

Opening the van

Monday's Salsa

Hi Guys,

Been a bit busy this week as you have no doubt read, so It's taken me a while to catch up with doing this. I missed a routine before I went to Wales. When I find it I'll post it up:

Lee (Baldon Sports Center) - 04/09/2006 - Janet

123 567 - Basic
123 567 - X-Body LT
123 567 - X-Body OT
123 - Back break to...
567 - Closed and both wiggle
123 - Back break to...
567 123 567 - Rope Turn
123 567 - Cuban turn swap
123 567 - Titanic
123 567 - Dip & Turn lady out to closed

Key:

LFST - Ladies Forward Step Turn
LSSS - Ladies Side Step Spin
MSSS - Mens Side Step Spin
X-Body - Cross Body
X-Body LT - Cross Body Late Turn
X-Body OT - Cross Body Outside Turn

Enjoy :-)

Steve

Intense

I've been proper busy today. Very intensive learning about lots of things I really don't want to know! Eeeesh, I'm squeemish. It's very hard to learn how to deal with a medical emergency when having difficulty staying concious! :-) Did loads of stuff today. Burns, Fractures, Head Injuries. A short test too.

Thursday will be the biggie. External staff come in to assess us. I'm going to run a basic Salsa lesson concurrently to relieve the nerves that we will all be feeling. Great thing is, theres more blokes than ladies for a change! Don't see that many times at lessons.

I'm gonna type up last nights Salsa routine later on. Nice short and sweet one this time.

First Time First Aid

I started my St. John Ambulance First Aid course today. I must say, I'm impressed with the level of tuition and the wonderful info pack supplied. Very good quality all round. It's a 4 day course so is quite intensive and paced reasonably fast. It's OK though cos thats how my mind takes in data best.

I've met a great trainer in the shape of Nikki and a bunch of 9 really interesting people from various works of life. We all had fun today. I'll keep you posted.

In other news, I'm still looking for a flat/share/room. Thought I'd found one yesterday but contacting the estate agent seems to be difficult. I've tried several times today with no luck. I'm gonna have another go tomorrow.

I'm going Salsa tonight at Lee (Baldon Sports Center) I'll try and get round to posting the routine up tomorrow or whenever I can.

Cardiff Central

Slight detour on the way home...

Sadly its time to come home. After arrival in Swansea I was promptly told that there were no trains to London and that I had to go to Cardiff and change there. This I did and had a lovely journey back to London (Paddington) then had to catch 4 tubes home! All I want to do is turn back and go back to an amazing place called Cardigan.

Water Bufflo

In Wales? :-)

What an odd thing to find in the wilds of Wales. However, it was in a wildlife reserve. A wonderful place full of green and Dragonflies.