Our lady in the director's office at MFI really did have some sway it seems- all of our stuff has now turned up! We wait for our fitters to tell us that it is wrong or something but so far, so good! Very pleased indeed with that result - but it makes me wonder why they couldnt have done it in the first place and why they are making us work so hard for what is rightfully ours! Simon is still officially waiting for a manager from the customer services area to call him back ! I told our lady that we would write into MFI to praise the work she has done because she really has gone out of her way for us. Of course we might drop in a few complaints about the standard of service we would have otherwise have got if it hadnt been for her personal decision to help us out.
Anyway it is sunny again and spring is still in the air so i am happy!
Today feels like the first day of spring. it is warm and sunny and the buds are on the trees everywhere. It makes me feel happy!
Full school governor's meeting last night. It feels very different now I have been on training and have some understanding of what it is all supposed to be about. I get the impression the team dynamics arent the easiest in the world but everyone wants it to work so i am sure it will.
We had our supper last night camped out in our bedroom as the lounge and kitchen are rather out of action! They left it nice and tidy though and seem to have made quite a bit of progress which is encouraging! Still no sign of when we are supposed to be receiving our goods from MFI though!
Given I am always mentioning my friend who was the inspiration for this blog, I thought I should link to a site containing pictures of her brand new little girl Maggie. Isnt she beautiful? What an amazing sounding birth - she swam around for a few minutes before she took her first breath ! We are all just sad they are still in Tokyo.
No more news from me. A relaxing (ish) weekend- nothing of much interest to report. Although we did see the new Passion of Christ film which was a bit disappointing but still quite graphic.
Well the update to yesterday's blog is that when I got back to my desk the lunch had been cancelled! So now I have to go through the same thing all over again at some point!
But there were new issues to contend with on arrival at my desk. Our kitchen was being delivered yesterday. Or it was supposed to be. They failed to deliver the washing machine and one of the wall cupboards saying that they will be delivered instead on 8 April! How unbelieveable is that?! Our fitter is there next week, along with the plumber etc. Just how useful will it be to have two key components delivered a week after the kitchen was supposed to be finished? You can imagine then the fun and games I had with the MFI 'customer services' people. It just a complete joke. They are not stupid though. They make sure they get all of your money up front (ie 2 weeks before the delivery let alone the fitting). This must be because they know how bad they are at actually doing what they say they are going to do. Simon spent 15 minutes on hold before being told there was no alternative that it would be delivered on 8 April and that is that. He asked to speak to a manager and they wouldnt let him! Anyway I rang the store and another 'customer services' number and had no joy whatsoever from either of them. So I decided to go nuclear. I managed to get myself put through to the PA of the CEO of retail and asked to speak to him! He is actually in San Francisco at the moment so I explained my plight to the PA. She was very sympathetic and it has had some results! I shouldnt count my chickens but i had a call this morning saying that the cupboard will be delivered by courier tomorrow! No news on the washing machine yet and the courier company wont say what time they are coming nor take any delivery instructions ! (Ie if we arent in give it to the porter.... but i guess if they want to waste their money in doing extra deliveries that is up to them). I shouldnt be ungrateful- it is excellent that progress has been made this quickly- I did spend most of yesterday afternoon on the phone though I guess!
I am currently avoiding going back to my desk after a long and heavy meeting because the team that I am about to leave is going for a long and expensive lunch at a restaurant I dont like! I am not prepared to waste my money on going out with people I dont necessarily like when I restrict my meal going out with Simon and my friends! I am especially not prepared to do so when I know it will be really horrible food and I will end up having to split the bill between people who have really 'gone for it' and i am subsidising them! But in our culture it appears to be impossible to just say 'no' and so to not be at my desk at the time they leave appears to be the best option as far as I am concerned! Maybe I am just mean? (I know my friends think I am!). But I just prefer to spend my money and my time wisely!
The weekend plans so far consist of going to see yet another house (even though we arent ready to move yet one cant resist going to see something that might just be perfect!), going to see the Passion of Christ at the cinema and clearing out the entire contents of our kitchen ahead of the work being done next week! As well as the usual church and gym activities... so it will be a quiet one then!
Not too much more news really. Work is incredibly busy still which is the reason my entries have been so minimal of late. But it is stopping me being bored which is the important thing!
Now how long do I have to wait before going back to my desk....
My friend Lisa's site has been abandoned for a couple of days leading to speculation that she might have finally gone into labour. But if she hasnt she'll be furious with me for speculating as she has made it clear that she will inform everyone who reads her blog when the new person decides to make his/her entry into the world!
We have our new kitchen being fitted next week! It is brilliant- cant wait. Simon's Dad is kindly staying with us tonight to be there to receive the new kitchen when it turns up in boxes to take up the entirety of our flat ! Very kind of him indeed- and they have just had a new kitchen fitted themselves so he knows what he is looking for! The advantages of retired parents! My mum retires this year so she can start to join in this 'helping out the children' club!
Other than that I am waiting for the spring to arrive properly here. It is still cold enough for a scarf and far too depressing! It is the fourth anniversary of me buying my flat in Wimbledon today and I remember that on previous anniversaries it has been warm enough to wear shorts!
It is very very unlike me to get stressed at work. Even more unlike me to cancel a lunch appointment. But that shows just how much I have got on at the moment after coming back from the holiday! So not much ability to blog right now.
I really enjoyed our holiday on the slopes. Simon took to the whole skiing thing pretty quickly which was quite a relief and we skied together in the afternoons. In the mornings I skied with whichever part of our party was doing something not too scary that day! So it was quite varied and interesting. The food was totally brilliant- we took a bit of a gamble by staying in a chalet but it was fantastic. I would totally do it again. The sun shone every day except the first and the snow was totally fine. So all in all a top time!
Today is my last day of the week and for 10 days! I have more governor training tomorrow and then am going skiing for a week! Hurrah! Clearly it means my day will be much busier than it would be normally but I can cope with that !
Saw 'The Hours' last night. Really recommend it. It was an unusual film but really very good indeed. If a bit dark and depressing.
And started to read a new book which seems good already- Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry.
There was a discussion about Guantanamo Bay on Radio 4 this morning. I really cant believe any person with a conscience could in any way justify it. Totally abhorrent in my view. Totally proves that the US acts purely out of self-interest...
Think I have run out of things to post! I went to see one of my good friends back in my home town last night. It is always good to go there- really does feel like going home (coz that is what it is I guess!). I wonder whether I will ever feel like that about any other part of the country? My guess is probably not as my parents have lived in the same house since they got married so it is all I have ever known really. They are planning a trip to India which is more exotic than skiing! But I have already been to the parts of India they are going to so I dont feel outdone! Although they did go to China less than 6 months ago so I envy them the time to go on all these big trips. Good for them though I reckon. They have a busier social life than we do and I am very happy for it to be that way.
Well I am being good at what I eat and doing lots of exercise and getting nowhere! Perhaps skiing will help?!
Found out this morning that another friend of mine is pregnant (that means that 5 of my friends that I know of at the moment are pregnant although may not be for very much longer!) and a few others have had their babies recently. Thankfully most of those are still able to talk/think about matters other than their baby...
As you can tell not much news really. Reading a very good book called 'The Body' by Hanif Kureishi which is one main story and a series of short stories after it. Every single one so far has been fantastic. I recommend.
We spent saturday night in a very nice hotel on the south coast. What I want to know is- why do they still provide sheets and blankets? I cant sleep with them as I am such a fidget they get all tangled up and annoy me intensely. But when I phoned reception and asked for a duvet they didnt have one! Bearing in mind this was no cheap hotel (ie we have now re-mortgaged in order to pay for it) am I wrong in expecting them to at least have some duvets available for guests who prefer it? In city centres now you tend to get duvets as standard. I am most peturbed by it and would like to know the views of others as I am just so not objective about it any more!
Went to a show on friday night with my parents. It actually was very good but it was even better to see them enjoying themselves so much. Isnt it amazing how protective we can get over our parents as time goes on. My mum broke her ankle just before Christmas and although it is better now I feel worried that she might do it again! And they are off to India soon for (yet another) holiday so I guess there isnt much I can do to look after them!
Trying to think about something special about 5 March but there isnt much, is there? Not much interesting news from me today (if there ever is!). I met up with a friend last night that I hadnt seen for a year and we really did not have enough time to catch up properly- she has a long journey to and from work and so didnt arrive til late and then had to go to bed as she has to get up in the middle of the night. But nevertheless wonderful to see her. She is getting married on the same weekend as I did last year so she has all the planning underway. Quite cool to be distant from those plans now but exciting to hear about the way someone else is doing it. Will be fun except we will be away celebrating our own wedding anniversary at the time...
Visiting the in-laws and going to the theatre with my parents tonight so am looking forward to my weekend. Hope other people are having more exciting lives than mine!
We are having our bikes replaced! I guess I was expecting the money but we are having exactly the same bikes as those that were nicked sent out to us on Monday. Except we are keeping them at Simon's parents as they live in the countryside where it will hopefully be a bit safer than SE16!
I was out for too many drinks last night (perhaps the most i have ever had on a school night) but I feel fine today! An old colleague's 'hen do'- v good fun. Met some new people which is always nice. Although I didnt manage to resist the stacks of chips put in front of me as the night wore on... (But I dont seem to be too much fatter today as a result so all is OK...)
I watched this film last night. Actually quite enjoyed it despite normally not liking musicals. I am quite upset that I had no idea at all it was Catherine Zeta- Jones in it until Simon asked me how long I thought 'she' had been married to Michael Douglas (any ideas?). Also upset at how amazingly Renee Zwell.... (?!) manages to change her body shape. How does she do it? I am attempting to do the same but it is definitely not ever going to be as impressive as her effort was!
I managed to resist red wine, pasta, chips and special chocolate brownie with chocolate sauce thing last night -all of which people around me were tucking into! Arent I good! I did have lots of fizzy drinks instead which is almost certainly no better (but I have found when on a diet it is what you dont eat rather than what you do eat that makes you feel so virtuous!).
Caught up with some old friends last night. Always good- although why do I make plans for mondays? It always makes me tired and makes the rest of the week seem like a really long one. Must remember not to do that in future!
