Last day of the ”CBM-BPM-SOA Learning Week”.
Today’s session was all about “assets”, i.e. knowledge assets,
presented by Jonathan Young. During one of the breaks I managed to
speak with David Price, (one of) my manager(s) at DVLA, about
something or other. It just seemed important at the time but I can’t
remember what it was about. I left early to catch my flight back to
Edinburgh. I can’t remember where I met Ness – at the airport or
back home?
Fri 2 May
I worked at the Edinburgh office today, and went
out to buy a present for Ness for our tenth wedding anniversary
tomorrow. Checking the web I found that the “stone” for ten years
is… gulp… a diamond! I thought about it for a while, and then
decided that “if not now, when?” Shopping around and doing a bit of
research I opted for a necklace with a single half carat diamond of
good but not outstanding quality from Mappin and Webb, mainly
because they were prepared to offer a full refund, not just an
exchange. I caught the later train back and at home Ness had
prepared a colourful and exotic dinner of Thai dishes, with sticky
rice – dee-licious! But first Ness led me upstairs with my eyes
closed, to ensure I got the full impact of the new TV, which had
been delivered and installed today. Ness led me into the lounge and
turned me around and then told me to open my eyes… wow! It was big,
and really smart and shiny! After the first shock I quickly adjusted
to the size of it, and it looked super-smart, with an elegant stand
and the cables all neatly tucked away, and everything had been
hooked up and set up, and after dinner we watched a film, In the
mood for love, I think, which I had ordered via Amazon along with
some others. ITMFL was a visual feast, all the better for being
watched on a big screen.
Sat 3 May
Today was our tenth wedding anniversary! We had
both bought each other a card, even though we said we wouldn’t. I
gave Ness the diamond necklace and I think she was pleased with it,
but it was hard to tell. We caught the train into town to go
shopping in the afternoon. First we went back to Mappin & Webb to
check on getting a different chain for the necklace, but were told
that the platinum one Ness had was probably the best one and so
stayed with that. Then Ness went one way, to shop for clothes, while
I went the other, to collect my repaired jumpers and buy a stack of
books at Waterstones. We met up at the Omnicentre and went to see
the 16.30 showing of Iron Man, which was rubbish. Then we headed to
La Garrigue where we had a table booked for dinner at half past
seven. La Garrigue was a real find, with a super atmosphere and
fantastic food. Even I couldn’t find fault with it! We really
enjoyed our evening out and then caught the 21.30 train back home.
Sun 4 May
Not sure what we did, if anything? Lazy day at
home probably. In the afternoon we stuck Lawrence of Arabia on and I
think we both nodded off on the settees. I think we went to the spa
at the end of the day for a soak and a steam. At home we had a tasty
roast pork dinner, with all the bits and bobs.
Mon 5 May
Today was a bank holiday. First thing we went for
a beach walk to Tea Rock. Then we got ready and drove into town to
meet up for “brunch” with Mark and Eliza in the Stockbridge part of
town. It had that villagey atmosphere that you find in certain parts
of London (Wimbledon, Hampstead, etc.) The place Eliza had suggested
for brunch wasn’t open, or serving food yet, and instead we went to
another place and had to wait until noon before we could order. Food
very disappointing, at least my tasteless and overdone steak. We
drove back home and spent the rest of the day doing stuff around the
house. We worked in the garden – Ness dug around the edges, I mowed
the lawn, and later washed the bird-shit off the two cars. Was it
hazy and did it rain at some point? I think it did, but can’t
remember. I think we watched the original Star Wars film on video.
Tue 6 May
Early start and flights from Edinburgh to
Gatwick/Cardiff respectively. I think Ness noticed I am getting
stressed out over work, performance stuff, my professions case, etc.
At Cardiff I had a little “victory” – finally had an automatic,
rather than manual, car, even if it was only a very sluggish Ford
Focus.
Wed 7 May
Day at the office. I gave two colleagues a lift
to the office (as I tend to do quite regularly now) and they
commented on the fact that I had finally managed to get an
automatic! In the evening, for a change, I went out for dinner with
two colleagues, Javier and Ruud. We went to a Spanish restaurant on
the main (only?) restaurant street in Swansea, and the place looked
like it held promise, with a meat counter on the ground floor, a
seafood counter on the upper floor, and a Spanish rustic décor –
whitewashed walls, wooden beams, tiles, etc. Unfortunately the food
itself was bland, my salt-baked sea bass tasted of nothing and came
with chips (everything did) and a dollop of unappetising tartare
sauce glopped on the plate. Still, it was good to be out with
colleagues for a change instead of simply whiling away the time in
my hotel room and going for the usual room service.
Thu 8 May
Day at the office. Evening at the Marriott hotel.
I was up late, reviewing a document. Well, I read the sections I was
supposed to read but couldn’t really think of anything sensible to
add/comment.
Fri 9 May
I checked out of the Swansea Marriott and spent a
brief morning at the DVLA. I had a catch-up call with Paula
Robinson, one of my various task managers, but probably along with
David Price, the main one. It was a good call, but also resulted in
a lot more work for me. It’s going to get busy. Pretty soon it was
time to head off. I drove to the local Hertz office and then a taxi
to the train station, and then the comfortable (first class) First
Great Western train to London Paddington. On the way I finally
managed to focus on reading my way through the “SDS”, the main
design document for which I am now the “owner”. Quick hop on the
busy tube to St. Pancras and I found Ness in the M&S, shopping for
food to take with us on the train. Within minutes we were at
loggerheads, as I figured we had time to go for a leisurely meal at
the station (we probably didn’t). Anyway, we bought some stuff, went
through to the departures bit and had a few glasses of wine before
boarding. I had to off-load and spent time telling Ness about my
mounting pile of work. We found some good seats on the train and had
our picnic on the train as it whooshed smoothly to Brussels, where
we arrived only two hours later. Very smooth. Taxi home to Mama and
by ten o’clock we were home and sat together with Mama having a cup
of tea and a chat.
Sat 10 May
A very quiet day at home with Mama. In the
morning the old Opel Kadett was taken away. I had called earlier in
the week to the schroothandelaar Mama had seen an advert from some
months ago, and he arrived nicely on time at ten o’clock and gave us
€25 for the car (which I was pleasantly surprised at as I had not
expected to receive anything, or even to have to pay for the towing
costs!) Frank also came out and I had a neighbourly chat with him
while the car was loaded on the back of the truck. For the rest of
the day we simply stayed in, talked a bit, had lunch, and read our
books. Late in the afternoon I remembered that I had wanted to go
out to get some flowers. It was already five o’clock and I was
worried Green Wish might have closed, but fortunately they were
still open and we came up with the excuse to stretch our legs for a
little while to go out. At Green Wish we bought a nice bouquet of
white/cream/light green flowers and a decorative candle (with
colourful shells) as a present. In the evening we watched an episode
of Edinburgh-based Inspector Rebus on TV.
Sun 11 May
We spent a quiet day with Mama at home. Today is
“Moekesdag” and this had been my main thinking for being with Mama
for the weekend. Over breakfast conversation took a wrong turn – out
of nowhere, I could just see it happening – a reference to Tony
Blair, Mama said how the Belgian foreign minister had opposed to
Tony Blair as a candidate for the European presidency, and Ness,
already struggling to maintain a cheerful composure, took it
personally and the rest of the day the atmosphere was civil and
polite but not cheerful. I kept thinking “just wait until we visit
your dad in two weeks time”. We sat on the bench, read our books,
had lunch, washed up, sat on the bench again, fell asleep, etc.
Around four o’clock I suggested we go out for a little walk round
the block. Ness and I went for a stroll around the neighbourhood,
bought a decorative chicken from the new home interiors shop on the
Mechelsesteenweg, and an ice cream from the shop at the Jet garage,
and completed our tour by walking along the fields at the back. Must
google-earth it. Back home we had dinner and in the evening we
watched BBC Young Musician of the Year (won by twelve year old
trombonist Peter Moore) and then Coast, which was about the
Northumbrian coast, a “forgotten stretch of coast they called it.
Mon 12 May
An early start. We had a bit of breakfast with
Mama and then waited for our taxi, which didn’t show up at 6.45 as
booked and when we called were told they had booked it for 7.45!
Still, they managed to get one out to us for 7.15 and in the end we
made the Eurostar train without any hassle. I huffed and puffed when
the two vacant places at our carré table were occupied by an
Italian/Spanish couple at Lille, and (rather childishly) proceeded
to sit diagonally, pretending that I could not otherwise get me
incredibly long legs in anywhere – it was a squeeze mind you.
Anyway, then said bye to Ness at St. Pancras and tubed it to
Paddington, where I was way too early for my 10.45 train but with my
first class ticket I was able to take advantage of the lounge, with
comfy old-fashioned leather settees.
Tue 13 May
?
Wed 14 May
?
Thu 15 May
?
Fri 16 May
?
Sat 17 May
Weekend at home.
Sun 18 May
Weekend at home.
Mon 19 May
?
Tue 20 May
?
Wed 21 May
?
Thu 22 May
?
Fri 23 May
?
Sat 24 May
In Solihull. We went to John Lewis with Nessie’s
dad to buy a laptop and picked a solid-looking Sony Vaio. I spent a
good part of the day setting it up – internet, software, etc. Seemed
like plain sailing.
Sun 25 May
In Solihull.
Mon 26 May
Bank holiday today. In Solihull.
Tue 27 May
Semi-early start. I dropped Ness off at
Birmingham International and then drove on to Swansea. Got there
around 10am. Rest of the day at DVLA.
Wed 28 May
Day at DVLA.
Thu 29 May
Morning at DVLA and flew back to Edinburgh at the
end of the day. Late by the time I got home. It felt deserted and
unlived in. Eddie covered in birdshit, the house smelt unlived in
and I felt a little despondent at our situation, never being at
home. Nearly didn’t unpack at all as I figured “what’s the point”
but then tazzed round. I had stopped off at Tesco to buy a
ready-meal, which was disappointing but easy.
Fri 30 May
Worked from home, although I never even made it
out of my dressing gown until around 4pm! I did work though, but
every time I was about to go and hit the shower I let something else
get in the way. Eventually I made it into the shower and walked up
to the station to catch the train to Edinburgh, with the idea of
meeting Ness at the airport. I had misjudged the train times and had
just missed the 16.20 train. The next one wasn’t for another hour
and would not get me there on time so instead I decided to drive. I
got there in good time to meet Ness and we drove into the centre of
Edinburgh to meet up with Mark for a drink and a meal. We went to La
P’tite Folie. Food was unimpressive but the atmosphere was good,
although I had to go and ruin it by trying to get decent service
(which we did get) – e.g. giving us menus, clearing our table after
the first course, etc. Eliza was out with work colleagues but came
over later on to meet us in the Dome, the grand bar on George
Street. Whilst the Dome venue is grand it is actually nothing more
than a rather standard bar, e.g. no table service. I stuck to lime
soda’s and drove us home at the end of the evening.
Sat 31 May
In the evening we drove to Mark and Eliza’s as we
had been invited round for a barbecue. Food not great, in fact
rather disappointing (Tesco’s cheapie barbecue packs), but it was
nice to be round our friends house. We Wii’d and I beat Mark at
boxing, KO’ing him not just once but three times! We didn’t stay
mega-late and got back home (I drove) at a reasonable time.
