So, yesterday after my Violence and Aggression training (I’m just not aggressive enough with patients ;) ) I headed in to Theale to attempt to get the newly MOT’d Jejy Taxed. The government are usually overjoyed to make off with your cash, but giving a tax disk to a non-V5-having vehicle owner is a discretionary act, and may actually not be possible where the V5 lists the car as having the wrong tax band (Disabled == free tax; I’m not disabled, so need Private / Light goods == not free). At any rate, the chap was friendly, polite, cheerful, and determined not to give me a tax disk. More frustratingly I have to go *back* to Theale when I finally do get the V5 (the timescale for which is entirely dependent on whether the old owner deigns to send back the letter saying ‘yes, I’ve sold the car’) – because they can’t simultaneously issue a new V5 *and* change the tax band. No, they’re two separate and distinct processes which cannot be combined. *le sigh*
So I rode back, and on the way back came to a decision. I would get a new bike jacket. My old jacket has done 5 years of hard abuse. It’s seams are disintegrating (relying on the hidden for extra-strength seams), the zip is broken, and it doesn’t even make a pretence of being waterproof anymore. Riding in the rain had become one long shower… since I may be stuck commuting on the bike for a month, possibly more, since the Minor continues to be a disaster area (did I mention, my old 1300 engine was apparently the subject of a welded repair both to the head *and* the bore, and is thus not worth reboring and rebuilding), and the V5 for the DAF could take 6 weeks to come back…
Not only that, but I’m hoping to do some Agency work this week, although ironically today (for the first time in several days) I’ve not got a message saying ‘please come work for us’. Argh!
So I stopped off at Hein Gerick (well, stopped off == rode through Sloughland’s awful traffic) and examined the huge range of women’s jackets (ha, all 4 of the textile ones). Was seduced into buying a better one than the one I was going to get (it’s more waterproof than the cheapest one, which I was looking at), piled it all onto the back of the ‘zed and rode home.
It’s black, again, which is not what I really wanted; I wanted something with better visibility than my old jacket, but they didn’t have it in any other colour. Mind, it’ll show the dirt less, which is probably good given how filthy I was after riding home yesterday.
And more stress? Because having so little money that bills are impossible to look at without wanting to hide, working more than full time, planning 2 wedding ceremonies (although, to be fair a lot of that’s being done by Kathryn’s Mom, Kathryn’s Dad’s Partner, Kathryn’s sister and my Mum), running 2 classics (well, theoretically) and struggling to keep a very sickly MZ on the road isn’t stressful enough I’ve agreed to go on a 5 day ATNC course (ATLS and Nursing, not observing this time)… partly in the week before our wedding.
It’s one of those ‘take the opportunity or possibly loose it for years’ moments, and biting the bullet I took it.
I’m scared witless, but there y’go. Anyway, I’m going to shower and then chase the agency and see if they need anyone in A&E anywhere this afternoon. I’m all set to go…
