So, I’ve come off nights (yesterday) a day early because I managed to catch a cold. It’s not surprising really; they wonder why NHS sickness rates are higher than other ‘private sector’ jobs; perhaps the combination of ‘dealing with sick people’, shift working, and often working short staffed is related to that. Ironically, on the worst shift I’ve ever had (indeed, I think the department has possibly ever had), we were only (I think) one short.
But it didn’t stop me only managing approximately 400 mls of fluid in 12 hours, during which I worked the hardest I’ve ever worked, and got to the point of wanting to hurl my toys out of the pram; but couldn’t. Because everyone was in the same boat. By the end of the shift I could feel that faint tingling itchyness at the back of my throat that forewarns of an impending sore throat. I drank as much as I could on the way home, and hopped into bed – waking with a very definite cold. One more shift, and the cold was ‘orrible, hence I spent yesterday in bed – sleeping and playing Portal.
I also checked the job sites; could someone in either of Bristol’s EDs please leave? Thanks. Retiring is fine, transferring is great, just I need a job down there! I’ve seen HCA & clerical work but no nursing positions yet. I keep looking though, I’ve also been checking on Bath, but I’d prefer Brizzy, just for location. We’re popping down there next week to see what our potential sale price might net us in terms of houses down there. I really, really wanted this one but it’s under offer now – and last I spoke to the agent they were in the final throws of the sale :(
But it’s so pretty, and it’s utterly everything that we want, apart from being hideously in need of work. But it’s a period property, with a big garden and a garage, located in the countryside but not far from the city. Perfect.
Shame it’s sold, really.
One thing that’s really going to be sad leaving this place, and I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, is losing the garden. We’ve worked really hard on it over the past couple of years, and it’s finally looking great. On top of which, we’ve let loose our l33t growing skillz on a bunch of seeds and frankly it’s awesome. You put this tiny, tiny leeeetle seed in some dirt, water it for a bit, and POP, up comes this green shoot with leaves. In the case of the beans the thing seems to be growing an inch every day, which is pretty awesome. Kathryn, being awesomeness embodied, has replanted the ones that were bopping the top of the propogator lids – while I’ve sat nursing my snotty nose on the sofa – and they’ve continued to do their stuff.
Soon to be planted out we have a cucumber, a french bean and a sweetcorn and something else; a broccoli, I think. Our lettuce – after a bit of a worrying few days – seems to be perking back up (it fell completely flat – I think it was getting over warm and under wet) – some of it’s not recovering, but some of it seems to be looking like it’ll survive. Hopefully when that gets a bit bigger we can plant it out – I’m thinking that we may need to transfer some of it into the mini-pots soon – and they can live in the propogator until they’re a bit bigger.
The tomatoes, not so good. Our heirloom variety shows no signs of life as yet, which is a little sad. We may have to get some pre-started ones. Oh, and in the range of awesome, one of our chillies has come up. Since these came from scraping out a bunch of old chillies that we had lying around in the fridge and planting their seeds this quite definately rocks.
The whole gardening thing is leading one down a path to great joy, I find. There’s something terribly exciting about growing these things – and the contemplation of that point in the year when we start munching on our own foodstuffs again. Anyhow, I should go and read my PILS manual in the hope that I’m in a fit state to go and do PILS tomorrow…
Most of what we planted seems
