Not in the best of moods

I got the battery sorted – finally.  They gave me a different brand (the chap wasn’t too happy looking but it was his fault!).  Came home and fitted it ok and the car started like a dream.  One problem solved.  Now for the warrant in the weekend.

But, I am not happy.  Two things:

I was really looking forward to a belly dancing dinner tomorrow night.  I made the mistake of mentioning it to a colleague.  He said a former colleague was in town and wanted to arrange a group dinner with her.  I then said sorry I have other plans and went on to mention them – big mistake.  What does he do?  Books a table for a group of about 6 or so from work at the same restaurant the belly dancing is at.  So what’s the problem, you ask.  We don’t just eat at belly dancing dinners – we dance.  I am NOT ready to dance in front of colleagues – especially ones that like to give you a hard time about anything personal to you (eg potential boyfriends).  I cannot enjoy dancing when I know there are a bunch of smirking co-workers watching my every move.

So there goes a pleasant evening.  I refuse to go.

Two:  I asked for Monday off because I’m visiting my brother in the weekend.  Boss is away next week though so we’re ‘short-staffed’ but at a very quiet time of year.  She refused, saying that N would then be on his own.  How many times have I been on my own when N takes a day off or a week off?  Countless times I’ve ‘held the fort’ and that was during busy times!  I was so pissed off.  Out of spite I’m considering taking a ‘sickie’.

I’m  not *&%$ing impressed.

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Nothing’s ever easy is it

Mood: irritated

So I wanted to get a WOF (warrant of fitness) for my daughter’s car.  Wouldn’t start – battery died.

So I take the battery into town to get charged or replaced.

Needs replacement.

But they don’t have the right one.  So he said come back tomorrow.

I go back.  Out of stock, sorry.  Try this one.  Bit longer but should fit.

Yeah right, I think.  I bet it doesn’t.

Sure enough, it doesn’t.  Ring them back.  Come back tomorrow, we’ll get another one to fit.

So three days in a row trying to get a battery to start the car to drive to a WOF testing station or garage.

Great.  I have time to waste, sure why not.

GRRRRR.

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Hot Pursuit

Well,  I’m really glad I went to the play.  It was brilliant.  One of our number (from our work group booking of 12) couldn’t make it and told me to give her ticket to someone else (I had her ticket “in case she lost it”).  This was at 5.30 – 2 hours before the play.  So I tried to ring a friend and text her when I couldn’t get through.  She rang back and yes!  She could go.  She thoroughly enjoyed it too.

It was very badly advertised so the theatre had a lot of free seats.  A great pity because the play was fantastic and very funny.  Their set was simply a (fascinating) desk, and two large boxes on wheels but they were full of all sorts of gadgets and props.  It was very very clever.  I was in tears with laughter at one stage.  Whoever was in charge of marketing should be shot.  All these acts (‘Best of British’) came all the way from the UK.  The least they could do was ensure decent patronage.

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Another cold, dark day

It’s still very damp outside although it didn’t rain.

I’ve spent much of my time browsing the net and writing a diary of my trip to Germany last year.  My diary is necessarily brief (small book) and I’ve tried to elaborate on it where I can remember!  Trying to remember and express what I was feeling at the time takes a bit of effort a year on.  Better now than never though, when I can’t remember all those little details.  As it is, some are hazy.  I tried desperately to look for a notebook in which I (hopefully) wrote down the photos I took.  I took photos of a vineyard somewhere near Luxembourg and am sure I wrote down where it was – but it’s not in the diary.  Damn!

It’s close to evening already.  Not quite 4pm but it’s getting dark and the long blackness of the evening begins.

The English play is on tomorrow night.  I hope it cheers me up, although when I get home from it it will be time to go to bed and up in the morning to another week of boredom…

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Hibernation as an option

Mood: melancholy

I wish I could hibernate.  Winters are cold and lonely.  Long nights spent at home alone after long boring days at work.  I’d rather curl up in bed and sleep it all away.

Depression creeps up on me.  It paralyses me.  When I’m at work I think of all these things that need doing at home, then I get home and waste my time online, unable to think of what I need to do.  Nothing seems important.

I never heard back from that friend I confided in.  He appeared online tonight for about 20 seconds.  Not much of a friend it seems.

The other friend… the less said the better, I think.

My mind’s blank.  I just want to sleep.

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Still cold

Another freezing night but there’s no snow to show for it.  Bit of a let down when it’s so cold but the hills remain unblemished.

It was cold at work today.  We had to put little fan heaters on.  I have no idea what they’re doing with the heating.  Yesterday was fine.  Today wasn’t.  I have 2 heaters going full blast again.

My daughter came up today from Wellington.  She finished her last exam yesterday and is a free agent.  Unfortunately one of the first things she’s doing is going to the funeral of a friend.  So tragic when someone so young dies (19 years old) of an aneurism!  So an emotional day for daughter tomorrow before she heads back for work on Friday.

Tired again.  Time goes so fast.  The evenings really do seem short.

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It’s freezing

There’s a light dusting of snow on the nearby hills.  I thought it wasn’t cold today until I stepped out of the building.  They must have turned up the heat at work.  I wasn’t prepared for it.  I have the heater on at home but the chill is bone deep.  Oh for an open fire.  Only one of those seems to warm the bones.

Yesterday was pretty stormy but this region escaped the storms that hit Auckland and Otago.  There was just a lot of rain and the wind that kicked up didn’t last long.

I’ve succumbed to putting the nightstore heater on.  I got through last winter without it, but that was a very mild winter.  This one isn’t and it’s not even the solstice yet.  I’m always reluctant because of the resultant power bill – supposedly cheaper on the overnight rate but it still adds up.

Hope to get to bed early tonight and stay asleep.  Woke at 1.15am last night and didn’t get back to sleep for two hours, tossing and turning.

It’ll be a cold night tonight…

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One booking done

Paid off my speeding ticket today and booked for a group of 12 to the play ‘Hot Pursuit’.  Seems the sales are very slow, which is a great shame.  I’m sure the play will be good, but it’s a pity more people don’t know about it.

Going to book for the Egyptian bellydancing in Wellington in August.  My daughter and her friend want to come too.  We saw Serena Ramzy on a DVD and she was beautiful to watch.  Will be great to see her dance.

My brother dropped by yesterday.  He’s very lucky he didn’t lose his thumb.  The deep scar extends all around the base of it.  He’s regaining some movement although it’s still a little numb.  Still swollen too.

It’s a very wet day and I’m glad it’s not pouring down right now as I have to go out in it.  Would prefer to stay home.

I think I’ll get an early night when I return.  Feeling very tired.

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Week’s end

Nice to have a day of sun for a change – at least when I’m home.  All very well having sunny days while at work, but I never get to see it.  I work on the dark side of the building (hears echo “the dark side” hahahaha).  Excuse my mad self appearing there.

Bro is  coming by tomorrow with new dog in tow.  I wonder how my dog will react to her.  She hates the Jack Russell, and who can blame her – stupid thing keeps barking at her for no reason.  It sounds like this other dog will just be a great lolloping pup who wants to play.

Gave my love a much needed trimming of her toe nails yesterday (the dog!).  She needs more walking on concrete.  Unfortunately this town has bugger-all footpaths.  The city council will spend millions in changing the city square from pleasant greenness into a concrete eyesore and yet won’t even make basic footpaths.  They plan to attack the botanical gardens next – with the same architect’s plans!  I hate to think – they’ll rip out grass and put more straight concrete paths – hideous.  Don’t get me started – I can feel my blood boiling…

Where was I?  Oh yes, this weekend.

Bro is at a 50th tonight.  I wonder if he’ll watch the opening of the World Cup – knowing him he will but if he misses it he can watch highlights here tomorrow.  He wanted to win Lotto so he could return to Germany to watch the World Cup.  What a bugger he left a year too soon.  Instead he rips his hand open and has to survive on 200 hundred a week on ACC (Accident Compensation Commission – not much compensation – no – only criminals get lots of compensation by complaining about how they’re treated in prison…. don’t get me started again!).

Older daughter will be finishing her exams on Tuesday and is coming up.  Will be good to see her.  Younger daughter is staying with a friend and she told me she got a reading from a psychic who was a friend of her friend’s mother.  The psychic apparently mentioned that I was annoyed about something at work.  She wasn’t wrong there!

Well, things to do, things to do…

Ciao for now.

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Back to ‘normal’ and things to look forward to

So, co-worker was all cheery today as if nothing had happened yesterday.  I mentioned his little tantrum yesterday to the boss who agreed that him blaming it on gender was “bullshit”.  And as she said, if he didn’t like the joking around he should have mentioned it sooner – it’s been going on for years.

Another co-worker has a job interview tomorrow.  If she leaves I will probably take up her duties, which will be onerous.  I don’t want to say “I hope she doesn’t get the job” because that would be mean.  For her sake I hope she does.  For my sake I hope she stays around for a while longer.  But, you never know what’s around the corner.  Things change without any input from you.

Looking forward to an English play which will be touring NZ.  I’m organising a group of 10 to go along to see “Hot Pursuit” which seems like it might be fun.  Then in August I’m dying to see Hossam Ramzy and his wife, Serena.  She’s beautiful to watch bellydancing and he’s a well-known and talented musician.  Can’t wait.

A friend of mine has invited me up to her new place in Tauranga next month.  Unfortunately, I don’t think I can afford it – timewise or moneywise.  With petrol the price it is, it will cost too much.  Then there’s the animals to house somewhere, etc.  I  just don’t fancy it at this time of the year.  I’ll have to decline, sadly.  Our other mutual friend is currently in Scotland and  it would be good to see her if she’s back by then… Oh well.  It will have to wait.  She put off coming south late last year for the same reasons.

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