MIA

*Peeps head over foxhole *   Wonder if it’s safe? Seems it, so guess I better leave an entry!

Seems like it’s been a while since I was last here.  Doesn’t time fly when you’re enjoying yourself?  No idea…I’ll let you know when I DO start enjoying life again!  The last 7 months have been crap, s**t, rough, nasty and other words that mean generally not nice.  In that time I’ve had 8 interviews, applied for over 30 jobs, considered self-employment with a web-design franchise. I’ve been totally ignored by many applications and even one interview did not even bother contacting me to say “thanks, but no thanks”. Totally ignorant in my opinion. That is the sort of place I wouldn’t want to work for anyway. FINALLY, I got a call on Monday from the last interview I went for actually offering me a job! Yoo hoo at long bloody last! I guess the excitement told in my voice because she said “So I take that as you will accept the position?”  Well duh.. hell yes I will!  So in the near future I will become a Community Nurse, operating from a GP surgery somewhere in Peterborough, visiting people in their homes to treat them, redress wounds, care for people in their last days and generally ensure that they get the best possible care in their own homes where they are happiest. I had a spell doing this during training and loved it, but fully expected the usual response I have been getting that someone else has better, or more recent, experience for the position.  I even got that from my old employer at the Walk-In Centre after applying to go back, but I think it was actually the General Manager blocking that one as we didn’t see eye to eye when I was a Union steward!

During this time daughter Vicki has been on holiday to friends in Cornwall (6 hr drive from here) and thoroughly enjoyed herself.  So much so that she has now found a job down there and will be moving away within the next 4-6 weeks.  Dawn (wife) is not at all happy.  She will miss her a hell of a lot as they have become so close while she has lived back home.  However she realises that it would be unfair to hold her back and understands she needs to live her own life while she still can……doesn’t make it any easier though!

Lee has had another operation, this time on his left knee (his one remaining “good" leg).  It had given way a couple of times and they suspected that the ligaments he had transplanted were loose.  However when they got in there they found that there was a lot of scar tissue, split cartilage and advanced arthritis!  They cleaned it up as much as they could but obviously can’t do a great deal about the arthritis. That was 2 weeks ago and he has the stitches out at the surgery tomorrow.  The wounds have healed up well and now he needs to start putting more weight on it to get mobile again.  He’s also had problems with his ‘stump’ which has been diagnosed as inflamed nerve endings.  This usually happens approximately 18 months after amputation, but with Lee it happened around the 10/11 month mark.  So he has been unable to rehab with his prosthetic leg for some time now.   The compensation claim is still ongoing.  All the medical reports are in now and we are hoping that it will get settled in the next couple of months.  He also lost his driving licence after he was stopped twice for speeding.  The law here says that if you get 6 points or more on your licence within the first 2 years of holding a full licence then it is automatically revoked.  This means he has to totally retake his test again before he will be allowed to drive once more.

I am still riding my bike although it has been off the road for a few weeks now as the MOT ran out and I couldn’t afford to get it done, because I knew it needed a new rear tyre.  That is costing £120 (approx $180)  then it’s £40 ($60) for the actual MOT itself.  At the same time the car also needs an MOT.  It’s all taking money that basically we have struggled to find due to me being out of work so long.  Benefits are few and far between (probably because I can speak perfect English, was born in England, paid my taxes as a good Englishman should and not just sneaked across the Channel in an artic from France! But that’s a totally different matter, just don’t get me started on illegal immigration!!!) so the money has come from our savings which have dwindled down to zilch.  This job couldn’t have come at a better time. 

I’m actually doing my advanced test training at the moment. It’s not necessary but it can reduce insurance costs with some companies, and it’s a nice thing to have to say that you are riding the right way.  The test is actually an hour long and you are followed by a Police motorcyclist.

Paula (eldest) and the grandsprogs are doing well. Kelsie had her 1st birthday in May and is walking really well now. She is such a little madam and into everything that she shouldn’t be! At times Paula has had to slap her hand when just saying NO does not stop her.  At these times Kelsie turns to Paula and laughs!  However, Grandad can reduce her to tears just by shouting at her! I could always do that with our kids as well!  I am sure she will turn into a great kid as the boys have….she is just proving a bit more stubborn!! I would say it runs in the female side of the family, but I have this self-preservation instinct in-built and will keep my mouth shut!  Logan, the eldest G/kid, is the goalkeeper of a local soccer team and has been made captain for the next season. He has actually got the man of the match award on about 3 occasions so far.

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Well, I think that has just about got y’all caught up now so I will disappear back in my foxhole for the next few months! LOL Seriously though, I will TRY to make it back a little more often.

Take care all.

HUGZ

RNBiker