Life Work The Universe...... Noisy

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Great to catch up with Steve last night. He has one of these charmed lives where everything happens to him, but life would be boring for him if it didn't. We went to the Inkerman, it's best described as a local bar for local people..... '-). I'm sure some of the patrons actually served in the Crimean War.

Steve's currently bidding for a property on the old Gladstone estate just behind us. A rundown and dilapidated walled Georgian farm house with 28 acres. The Gladstone heirs sold this part of the estate for 1.5 million to a local farmer who a week later put it on sale again divided in 20 lots including a working farm, totalling £4 million. The farmer was then offered £4.5 million for the whole shebang. A couple of years later, it's on the market, again in lots due to the financial downturn. Anyway, hope Steve is successful as he's a good bloke.

On the way home, I picked up a Beef Chow Mein take away in the village. Then fell asleep on sofa. I was in my twenties again!

It's been an emotionally demanding week, supporting colleagues through various appeals and grievances, dealing with the fallout of a failed appeal - all on top of the day job. Monday first thing my boss told me she had been made redundant. When the news became public, I found some of the gloating unpalatable. I've had run in's with her but you know, the gloaters don't get it - she did her best to minimise impact of reorganisations, job losses etc on the staff, but now, no boss means no department. Be careful what you wish for.

Assuming I survive the pendulum that's currently overhead, there's also been a not so unexpected announcement that there will be no pay rises this year and in all likelhood we will have to look at either 10% pay decreases or a reduction in working hours. I see either reduction in hours or pay preferable to being unemployed. At home, it means we are playing canny. We Planned holiday to Greece, first in three years, is off just in case, so it's Lamb kofatas, olives, goat cheese and wargames in the back garden this summer.

Funniest thing this week was one of the girls from the IT Help Desk telling me that she had receieved a call from the Director's office. One of the PA's reported that her colleague had a "noisy fanny and could someone do something about it".

Cheers
Mark
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