2 January 2020 (Thursday) - Late Shift

I had a rather restless night. I eventually gave up trying to sleep and got up. I used up the last of the bread making my toast and sarnies; I expect "er indoors ^TM" laid an egg when she realised, then I had a look at the Internet as I do. Someone with whom I used to work was posting on Facebook about the excellent work that volunteer drivers do for the NHS. I suppose that they do what they do with good intentions, but having volunteer drives led to the redundancy of at least one chap that I knew of. And how far can we go with volunteers in the NHS? I’ve been led around an out-patient department by a WI volunteer who was *very* interested in reading my medical notes. Why not ask if anyone would volunteer to do the portering and cleaning? It is a very short step to getting all the NHS staff to go and get a proper job and have them all come back as volunteers. Interestingly the move (several years ago) to get retired ex-managers from industry involved was very soon abandoned. The NHS is never going to be funded properly (by any political party) all the time someone is offering to do the job for free.

I had a lot of emails this morning; quite a few people had been out looking for (and finding) the geocaches that I’d hidden over the last year. I was quite pleased to see “found it” reports on caches which (only two weeks ago) I had been assured were missing.

With some time to spare I took the dogs for a walk round the park. Despite all having been chivvied into the garden earlier to “do their business”, a surprising amount of “business” was conducted as we went round the park. Our walk went rather well; we only met one other dog. It was a shame that it had to be one of the local “pampered princesses”. The chap with this delicate blossom was being deliberately awkward. As we diverted to walk away from him and his pooch so he would change direction to still be where we were going.

Some people, eh? Mind you I found a Munzee – happy days (!)

We came home; I harvested a quite impressive crop of dog turds from the garden. Several people have commented on how we gather up the dog dung and flush it down the loo. It would seem that we are in the minority of dog-herds in clearing our garden of poop. When questioned other people have said that they just leave it there. Yuk!!

I then looked at my credit card bill. I really wish the bank could sort themselves out; the bank statement comes on the same day every month, but I am reliably informed that it is impossible to have a credit card statement on the same date every month. It is randomly generated at any time between the twentieth and the end of the month. I wish they’d get themselves sorted…

And having looked at the credit card bill I then looked at organising the geo-meet for February. I’ve volunteered to host it, and thought that the Red Lion in Badlesmere might be a good venue. After all, it’s tried and tested.

As I drove to work there was a rather interesting article on the radio about illegal immigrants coming from Sierra Leone. Apparently the vast majority of those who illegally leave Sierra Leone go back to where they came from because of the dangers they face on their journey elsewhere. The danger of death from the desert and ocean crossings is nothing compared to the danger of being captured and sold into slavery. And going home isn't an easy option. Everyone trying to escape the country has to pay to be smuggled out. The going rate is about three thousand pounds, and because those wanting out don't have a pot to piss in, they've had to steal that money. So they are going back to disgrace and a probable prison sentence.

And we in the UK always thought these illegal immigrants had it easy...

I spent a few minutes before work having a little geo-adventure. Interestingly the people who claimed to have found one of the film pots I found today *hadn't* signed the piece of paper. that's pretty damn serious in Tupperware circles.

I got to work, had a rather good lunch in the canteen... and then effectively that was it for the day. As is usually the case when on the late shift. I did the late shift; it was rather busier than I would have liked.

1 January 2020 (Wednesday) - New Year's Day

New Year… I suppose it is traditional to review what’s gone before. 2019 was a good year in some ways. A bad year in others. I had some rather good holidays with friends and family last year. I had a couple of bouts of sick leave (which weren’t good), and a couple of episodes which I’ve deliberately kept quiet. Here’s hoping for the future…

I woke feeling a tad grim, which wasn’t an auspicious start to the new decade. I programmed “Hannah” for the day’s adventure as I scoffed toast, then had a look at the Internet. It might be a new decade, but old habits die hard. Facebook was rather quiet (most people were still sleeping off yesterday evening) but I had an email which made me think. Geocaching HQ had sent out an email asking how I did geocaching-wise last year. I had many good times caching both in a few minutes before work, and for whole days (and longer) with friends. But in terms of numbers of finds this was my worst year ever. Purely because people aren’t going out and hiding the caches. I posted a whinge on the “Geocaching in Kent” Facebook page. It provoked a few comments, but no one could really argue with the underlying problem faced by the geocaching hobby which is that far more people like hunting for film pots hidden under rocks rather than actually putting film pots under rocks.

We got ourselves together (which was rather straightforward) and the dogs together (which took some doing) and drove up to Badlesmere where the traditional New Years Day geo-meet was taking place. Some twenty-five people and eight dogs met up and we had a rather good walk. It wasn’t *that* muddy (mostly). It was really good to catch up with friends. We walked for a couple of hours then ended up at the Red Lion in Badlesmere where we had a very tasty lunch washed down by a couple of pints of Christmas ale. (Hic!)

And I took a few photos of our adventure too.

Once home we all fell asleep in front of the telly; eventually waking in time to watch the first episode of the new season of “Doctor Who”. Had they done away with the three rather annoying hangers-on and allowed Jodie Whittaker to develop her own character (rather than doing yet another impression of Christopher Eclestone) then maybe it might have been good. As it was, it wasn’t.

We then watched the New Year Bake-Off episode which featured the cast of “Derry Girls” which was rather fun…

Not a bad day off… 

31 December 2019 (Tuesday) - New Year's Eve

The dogs had a good night and so consequently did I. Over brekkie I watched the last episode of the second season of “Mars”. It was a good show; I wonder if there will be a third season?

I did chuckle as I looked at Facebook this morning. Someone was selling their old tat and was making great show of how their rubbish as being sold at a bargain price, even though you could buy the same things (brand new) cheaper in the shops. “NEED GONE!” was the caption on several items. If you need it gone, why not consider the dustbin. I’ve got quite a lot of stuff that I’d like to sell if only anyone would pay for it.

This morning the radio's current affairs program was edited by "George The Poet". No - I'd never heard of him either. He's some (c)rapper who seemed to be pretending to be fifteen years younger than he actually was. With the "Thought for the Day" presented by "Guvna B"  and great swathes of the show devoted to the influence of grime music on British culture, the entire thing sounded like an episode of "People Just Do Nothing". Which is quite a fun show to watch all the time you realise that the show is a piss-take, and not intended to be taken seriously. Bearing in mind some of the other guest editors they have had on the radio over the Christmas period, I can't help but think that the BBC could have done a whole lot better today.

I stopped off at Aldi; I must admit that I have to ask myself why. I didn't really need anything and I didn't get anything. But I suppose that (bearing in mind the wonders of their centre ailes) I might have done.

Work was work. I did my bit. As I worked I was rather conscious that there was a geo-meet today and that friends were out walking whilst I was working. But I've done this "oh-I'm-working" sulk to death over the last week or so.

As I worked I had a phone call. Mum was being discharged from hospital. Having been in the place for six days the doctors had decided that she'd had "one of those things", was probably better, and had sent her home.

Once home I settled the dogs, put on my red pants (it’s a Spanish thing) and the bat drove us down to the traditional New Year bash with Jose and Maria. We had a rather good evening; I stayed awake for the grapes and Spanish New Year at eleven o’clock, but for the first time ever I slept through the New Year at midnight… I’m getting old.