Promises

I promised and failed to deliver the blog entry to describe the time between the previous two posts. I'm sorry one and all. That's the apologies over with.....

The past few weeks have been a journey of little bumps, and have made life a tad boring to be honest. I've done nothing of real note that would make interesting reading. That doesn't mean that I should forget or not write anything as that makes any catch up period for any reason a real difficult process.

The two weeks I had off from work were for the main uneventful, as stated previously I took mum to the Lakes, and that was about it. At no point did I go anywhere of real significance. Ok, so during the last week of my holidays I had my 35th birthday, which was celebrated with 3 cards (I don't normally count, but 3 is a significantly low number). Out of the 3 were two from family, and the other Lisa! So where was the card from anyone at work? Well that's a story to be told.

Last year I'm sure that I stated that I didn't get a card on my birthday, and that they claimed they had the wrong date and all that jazz, well this year I sort of wondered what would happen. My birthday was in the middle of the week, so any card could have been sent at the start of the week, no problem. None arrived on my birthday, which though a little hurtful, I guessed that they may have made a mistake again, but come the Thursday morning I was going to London for a LBGT meeting at head office. That was a really enjoyable experience again. Mainly as I'd never been inside of head office, though I'd been in and around the area, when visiting Eden a few years back.

So come the Thursday morning I headed off to the train station, in the knowledge that no post had arrived and thus they had the Friday to redeem themselves at work, as that would match the date they had on the list from last year. I got to the train station and got on the train and to be honest the journey went really fast. I read the first Lance Armstrong autobiography, which filled me with so much fight and spirit that I forgot all about the card situation. Once down in London and camped in my room for the night, I read a little and listened to music, via my phone whilst resting before tea that night.

The meeting was one of the better meetings and I was thrilled to see so many colleagues from head office attending the open session we had after lunch. It was a positive sign and an idea to carry forward to the next few meetings. I'm sure that we can continue this. Anyway, once home, I found no post again. This hurt, work had obviously forgot it was my birthday and this was just a negative reinforcer that I'm not liked that much and that I'm easily forgetable. I vowed that I wouldn't sign any cards within the office for anyone else as it would be hypercritical of me to do so.

I think that move made people sit up and ask why I wasn't signing cards as I got back in there were three cards to sign and I didn't sign any even though they were thrust in front of me. I know one or two asked why and I just said it was personal to me, and not those to whom the cards were intended. Anyway, in the end someone either did there own detective work or guessed what the situation was, and within 3 days, I'd got wine, chocolates and flowers with belated birthday cards. Ok, the thought is nice, but the action has taken place and I was and am genuinely hurt.

That was minor though, nothing to throw me into the depths of despair, that came with the news that my car needed £160 worth or repairs to get it though the M.O.T test for another year. I know the car isn't worth much more than that, but it's essential for me to have my car, and when the bill came I knew that I'd be left with little or no money for the month. Things since then have been rather difficult and if I'm honest have been rather depressing, but I'm not going to let that get me down. It's not something that I could have predicted or prevented. The age of the car and the timing are against me, with car tax and insurance all due at the same time as the M.O.T it means that time of the year will be difficult whenever.

I shall point out here, that in an effort to combat that I've asked at work if it's possible to increase my hours from 21 per week to 31, which would mean a significant pay rise. I know that in the past I would have been asked by now for this, but it's a different situation right now and I've asked out of hope and have been honest with the project manager that the main incentive for this is money. I don't mind doing the extra hours, the amount of times I've been over my hours at work should show them that I'm willing to do more hours. We'll see where we go from here on in I guess. With my line manager leaving shortly I may be in with a chance, but that's all a chance.