1604.12 OFF THE SICK

07:18 -  It's my first day back to work after a week off sick and I find myself on the bus. I left my bike at work when I was sent home last week, if I'm honest I'm kind of glad as I'm not up to 100% health yet. I leave Morticia at home, she's had a relapse (she was poorly before I was) and is really struggling. All I can do is make sure she's comfortable and check in on her throughout the day.

07:31 - I usually beat the bus into work. It's frustrating sitting in traffic.

07:36 - I'm off the bus. I've a 10 minute walk to my place of work. The walk takes me past the building I had my very first job.

07:51 - And I've arrived. Plenty of time before briefing at 8am. I've got 8 hours to get through and that time to decide whether I'm going to cycle home or catch the bus.

16:00 - All done and I got through the day. Decided I'm going to cycle home, I'm just dying to get back on a bike.

The view from my ride home

The ride home was good (a little on the slow side) but I got home feeling a little more tired than usual but that's to be expected. I'm not back up to full strength yet but I'm on my way.

1604.10 NATIONAL POLYESTER

It's a bit of a tradition in our house to have a little flutter on the Grand National. We aren't a gambling household and apart from the odd EuroMillions rollover and Morticia's odd bingo outing we don't do betting. We usually pick 5 horses and bet £1 each to win. None of us know anything about horse racing so everything else aside we chose based on the name only.

The thing is none of the horses we choose usually win (or even finish). This year though the horse Morticia picked was the winner - Rule The World. It came in at 33/1 which gave us a winning of £34!

It's a shame some of her friends on Facebook couldn't have been pleased for her, a couple got on their 'high horse' (excuse the pun) about the ethics of horse racing.

1604.08 POORLY SICK

It started last weekend with a light tickle at the back of my throat. I initially dismissed it, thought I could just push through. I haven't been 'sick' since I was hospitalised in a cycling accident in late 2014 and appart from a bit of a sniffle I've been feeling in the best of health.

I cycled to work for a late shift on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday was hard work, I was really starting to flag. 

Wednesday I cycled to work and felt like death when I got there. No one fancied working with me since I was deemed to be 'infectious'. I was advised to go home. There was no way I was going to use the bike since it nearly killed me on the way in. I went for the bus.

Why did I even go in to work when I was feeling so bad? Because of the cycling accident (mentioned earlier) my sickness record isn't the best. It's on a 3 year cycle so I'd hoped that if I could manage till the end of the year I'd be in the clear. It's the pressure most people feel when they need to take a few days to get better. I ended up taking 2 days off and with a 3 day weekend ahead I hope that'll be ample time to get over it.

Getting better isn't as straightforward as going to bed for a few days. As a parent and a carer I still have stuff to do, meals to prepare and tidying to do (despite what Morticia says!). I have been managing quite a few naps in between.

Supplemental 1604.10;

Yesterday was a strange day. In the morning I felt really ill, worse than I had all week. In the afternoon Morticia wanted to go out for a bite to eat since she'd been stuck in the house all week. Even though I wasn't in great shape we went out to the nearest Wetherspoon pub (the one in Meadowhall). The food came within minutes of ordering but was far from ideal. Most of it was cold and the chicken I ordered was dryer than cardboard. Considering I wasn't feeling my best this wasn't what I needed. I left most of it (Morticia did the same). When they collected the plates we told them about our dissatisfaction, they offered us a free drink which we declined. We moved on to The Riverside (on our way home), it was here I threw up (in the big white telephone). About 20 minutes later I felt the illness flow away as if a valve had been released. Whilst I'm not back at 100% I feel I'm at 85% and climbing. This morning I'm feeling positive. I'm confident 'normal service' will be resumed shortly. 

1604.06 A TEAR FOR MY DAUGHTER

Facebook has this feature where it shows you old stuff. I'm not very active on the old book of face but I keep with it as it keeps me in touch with certain people. This week it threw up this one from my eldest daughter Harley... 

It was unexpected and it took me by surprise, I shed a tear. She's never far from my thoughts, wherever she is. 

For anyone who doesn't know our relationship with our eldest has been very rocky for many years which culminated in her leaving home at 16. She came home last year only to leave again (without explanation). To this day we have no idea where she lives. 

1604.03 CYCLING AT THE EDGE OF ILLNESS

I was in 2 minds whether to go cycling with the club today or not. Last night I sensed a prickly sensation in the back of my throat and this morning it was a little worse. It wasn't really on my chest so I thought I'd head out anyway, after all I could always head back if I didn't feel up to it.

It was quite a large group up at the meeting point but quite a number of them were off to conquer Holme Moss. I wasn't up to that so I headed off with the remaining to Knottingley.

It was a good ride, I didn't let the beginning of some illness slow me down. We visited the Farmer's Kitchen at Brears Farm.

The ride home was good, I almost forgot about my throat. When I got home I realised I was more exhausted than I would expect. I knew this tickle was going get me in the end.

By the evening I felt dreadful.

1604.02 A DAY IN THE PEAKS

The plan was to get out today (since I have an extra couple of days off). Morticia hasn't been well all week so the Easter holidays have been a bit rubbish for Rags.

Last night was a late one because (a) I was on a late afternoon shift, and (b) there was a power cut at 12:50am this morning which caused our alarm to beep constantly (and a neighbours one to go off).

The weather forecast was good but upon opening the curtains this morning wasn't so good. It was raining. On the weather forecast this morning it appears that a band of rain was sitting further south than anticipated. So we decided to wait a little longer before venturing out.

Around 1pm we set off deciding to head to Castleton. We're lucky that we have the Peak Park on our doorstep.

Today's day out. Pereril Castle #Castleton #peakdistrict #peakdistrictnationalpark #countrywalks #onourdoorstep #dayout #family #trip

A photo posted by CaptainKirt™ (@captainkirt) on Apr 2, 2016 at 3:41pm PDT

Today's day out. #Castleton #peakdistrict #peakdistrictnationalpark #countrywalks #onourdoorstep #dayout #family #trip

A photo posted by CaptainKirt™ (@captainkirt) on Apr 2, 2016 at 3:42pm PDT

Today's day out. Devil's Arse #Castleton #peakdistrict #peakdistrictnationalpark #countrywalks #onourdoorstep #dayout #family #trip

A photo posted by CaptainKirt™ (@captainkirt) on Apr 2, 2016 at 3:44pm PDT

Castleton is a beautiful place tucked away in the Hope Valley overlooked by Perrivel Castle. The hills are home to some interesting caverns like the Devil's Arse and Speedwell. We had a little wander before having some food in the 'Old Cheshire Cheese Inn'. 

Afterwards we drove over to Bakewell and had a couple of drinks in the Red Lion. When we left the pub it was dark so we decided to have a walk through the church yard before heading home. Rags befriended a local cat whilst admiring the church building (we are all fans of gothic architecture). 

We drove home through the darkness whilst Rags stared at the stars through the car's glass roof. 

1604.02 NEW SHIFTS

It's been a number of years since we've seen a change in our shift pattern at work. I suppose with all the cuts and people we've lost a change was inevitable. We found out about the new shifts at the beginning of the year (we are entitled to 90 days notice). The biggest difference will be moving from a 4 week to a 3 week rotation. It also means more weekend work but less late finishes. I have no choice but to embrace the change and get on with it, after a short time nobody will notice the difference.

1603.30 BIG BOYS LICENCE

Years ago, in what seems like another lifetime, I used to drive a bus (in fact it was many buses). I passed my PCV licence back in 1995 but since 2006, and a change of career, I haven't had call to use it.

The licence for large vehicles has to be renewed when the holder gets to 45. Since that age is creeping up on me fast I have a decision to make.

Fast forward to today. I knew it was coming, it wasn't unexpected but seeing it is still a bit of a sting. The form from the DVLA was waiting for me when I got back from my Easter trip. As well as the form to fill in I'll need a medical report completing for the renewal.

So here's my dilemma. A medical report will cost me upwards of £50 to obtain. So do I shell out to renew for a licence I haven't used for 10 years as a 'back up'? Or do I let it lapse? After all I don't use it, and am I likely to get use from it in the future (plus the renewal only lasts for 5 years)?

Supplemental 1604.01;

Just before I set off for work I received this email response from the DVLA regarding the question as to whether I could reinstate my driving entitlement once it has lapsed. Here's what they said... 

Dear [CaptainKirt] 
Thank you for your email received on 1/4/16. Your email reference number is ********.
I can confirm you would not be required to re-take your PCV test.
When you are ready to apply for your renewal you will need to complete a D2 and D4 application form in order to do this.
I trust I have answered your enquiry.

So it's good news. I still can keep my entitlement 'on ice' until I potentially need it, then take a medical to reinstate it. 

1603.28 EASTER BUNNY AND THE GHOST

Our break in St Neots continued into Easter Sunday with a jet lagged wake up following the clocks going forward at 2am.

We met up with friends who are getting married later in the year to visit the church they will be using. Later we sat down to a family dinner and then relaxed for the rest of the day. I do love the fact that all the shops close on this day.

I have an After Eight egg that I will be enjoying over the coming days.

Now I'm going to digress a little to give a little background to something that happened this afternoon. Morticia sometimes comes and stays at her mother's without the rest of us, she does this once or twice a year. She has often spoken of a disturbing presence in the spare room (not anywhere else in the house). She says she feels uneasy and has on occasion woken up feeling as if she is been held down in the bed. This has never happened when I am there, and she says she feels at ease then. This story has been around for many years and on Sunday morning is the first time it has changed.

This morning whilst we were all sleeping Morticia woke screaming. She said later that she had felt that same presence holding her down briefly. I wasn't affected by any of this at all and apart from the noise of her scream. In the afternoon Rags was feeling tired and went up to bed for a nap. She yelled for me about an hour later, I dashed up and she was looking shocked and confused. She told me that she had woken up after feeling that she was being held down, then feeling her arm being lifted. She told me she saw a figure briefly before she called out.

Both are unaffected from the events and are not put off sleeping in the room.

Sunday night Storm Katie raged outside, we had a relaxing evening in front of the TV. The bank holiday is our last day and hopefully the weather will allow us to leave the house.

Storm Katie ravages the country

Monday started late for everyone (except me, I was reading from 9am). When we did go out we drove down to a local chilli farm. The cafe there was closed but Morticia bought a few chilli based condiments. We then visited a nearby garden centre. I'm not a fan of garden centres, they're full of stuff I can't afford and we usually end up buying expensive tat we don't need. We enjoyed a much needed cuppa before venturing on.

We had tea in town at the local Wetherspoons (The Weeping Ash), I'm a big fan of Wetherspoons.

Then after packing up our stuff and a number of cups of tea later it was time to head back home. A1 northbound.

1603.28 WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE BLOGGERS

I've been blogging for many years. In the early days there was quite a community out there happily sharing comments and reading each other's ramblings. Then came social media and blogging fell by the wayside for many. I have still blogged on and off for the last few years but not as frequently as perhaps I should have. 

It's become increasingly obvious that the 'great unwashed' are everywhere on social media filling it with their ill informed drivel and spite filled opinions. So I turn back to my blog and the lovely people that surround and read it. I also enjoy reading other people's blogs but recently my reading list has started to wear a little thin with some of my regular reads abandoned for months and even years.

It's time it get some new blood so to speak to replenish my reading stock and to perhaps get some reciprocal reads back. I've added a couple of new blogs to my list, the only problem is that the blogosphere seems full of writers using the blog as a money making machine. I don't want sponsored posts, they're so false. So where are the real bloggers? I'm sure they're out there under the pro writers and monetisers.

If you know of any good reads please let me know.

Supplemental 1604.11;
I found about three new reads in the blog world and I'm still looking for more. It's not easy to seek out interesting blogs that aren't about fashion or making money out of blogging (which sounds a bit like a pyramid scheme to me).