PhilJ W

Evening all from Estuary-Land. My car V5 arrived this morning so I have to stow it away in a safe place. Job for tomorrow is to finish installing the dashcam, namely the rear camera. Gradually sorting out the controls, the radio switching channels is when travel news comes on it switches to a local station, if you don't want to hear it there is an enormous button in the middle of the dial to press and it goes back to the station you're tuned into.

We had two in the office that were like that, the first was a young lady not deliberately awkward but not very bright. Some of the other ladies in the office helped her but in the end HR moved her to a lower position. The other was a lazy so-and-so who if he could get away with it would pass his work on to others. For the most part it was the 'clients' who were the awkward ones. That would be a management c0ck up, payroll would be the ones who have to clean up the mess. Christmas was usually a difficult time and we moved heaven and earth to get as many people paid as possible before Christmas. With this in mind the payroll manager issued a timetable stating the last dates we can receive things such as time sheets. There was one supervisor in one department though who told her staff that overtime worked in the week leading up to Christmas (including Christmas Eve) would be paid before Christmas. We were just putting the Christmas payroll to bed when the HR manager came in demanding that the people be paid. The payroll manager stood his ground and there then ensued an almighty row which ended in the payroll manager telling the HR manager where he could stick the job and walked out slamming the door behind him. I then pointed out to the HR manager that it was too late for payments (BACS) to go through for Christmas anyway. He went away rather crestfallen anyway and cash advances were made to staff who had been promised payment before Christmas (but not by payroll). I don't know what happened the following year as by then I had retired.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Had a phone call at lunchtime setting up my sound scan. The time and place were given as 11.15 am at a surgery in Pitsea. When I looked it up it is on the access road to Pitsea market. I think I will have to give myself plenty of time to get there. Another requirement is for the scan to work properly I have to have a full bladder but that depends entirely on bladder control.

I've just found out that today is polar bear day. https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schools/calendar/international-polar-bear-day

Having spent most of my career in payroll I feel offended by that remark as would most of my former colleagues. Our general attitude was that weekly pay packet/monthly pay cheque was what people work for and are entitled too and we do our best to get it to them when due. Any queries it was in our own interest to deal with asap even if we were unable to settle the matter to their satisfaction. Often it would be something beyond our control such as a timesheet still sitting on a managers desk. I can't speak for solicitors or accountants but most Tax offices are equally very helpful.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. No problems from bladder control or Arthur Itis last night. I woke up about six o'clock this morning and almost immediately went back to sleep again to continue the dream I was having (REM pattern?) and woke up properly just before seven. Now I've got things to do this morning such as shopping that I was going to do yesterday and a fair bit of cleaning up to do as well.

Just after the photograph was taken Ben jumped onto the table and snaffled the lot.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I almost forgot to take this evenings antibiotic capsule. In fact I was unsure if I had taken it at all but a quick count proved that I hadn't taken it so I've just done so. I didn't fancy any chips so tonights dinner was a couple of fried egg butties.

The speed limit is probably there to stop the idiots ploughing through the ford and creating a 'bow-wave'.

The complete opposite of my experience. When I became ill on Friday I dialled 111. When I explained my symptoms they booked a phone consultation with my GP's surgery, the (locum) doctor called back within twenty minutes. After discussing my symptoms the doctor told me that she was issuing a prescription for an antibiotic and was about to e-mail it to a local pharmacy when I said that I would pick it up myself. I popped into the surgery on my way to Tess Coes about twenty minutes later, gave my name and the receptionist looked it up on his computer and after a few checks (address, d-o-b etc.) printed off the form for the blood test(s), I asked about the prescription and when he checked it was still on the doctors desk so I only had to wait a couple of minutes for the doctor to bring it out.

Interestingly if you are in a motor vehicle there is no way of avoiding the ford. The only 'dry' way is the pedestrian footpath on the left. I for one wouldn't risk it in my car. Can anyone identify exactly where this ford is please?

In fish and chip shops in the UK you can order huss or rock salmon, which is actually another species of shark, the dogfish. The two species are often confused and you could be eating spurdog instead of dogfish. I must confess that I prefer rock salmon to cod as it doesn't have all those little bones.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spurdog

Because such signs do not apply to Audi and BMW drivers.

No spam I'm afraid. Apparently you can get frozen spam fritters in the supermarket now.

So @polybear will not be going paddling down Sarfend any time soon.😬

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I've checked my rather depleted larder/fridge and decided that the shopping can wait another day. The main reason is that it is cold and windy out there. Tonights dinner will be egg and chips followed by a yoghurt for dessert.

Actually for the majority of those deported the Thames Estuary was their last ever sight of blighty as there were many prison hulks moored in the estuary waiting for the next ship to Australia.

Good on you, how many pets are put down because they have a treatable medical condition? Or even worse allowed to die in pain?

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Not a bad night last night except having to pee several times, that being due to the antibiotics I am taking. They seem to be working however as the swelling is reduced. Not having ventured out for a few days supplies are running low so I need to shop sometime today.

I don't take paracetamol on a regular basis, the painkiller of choice is Nurofen and even then not every day it just depends upon the circumstances. I can go for up to a week without needing painkillers, it's just that my current illness coincided with a bad spell of arthritis. Compounded by the fact that I had misunderstood the instruction not to take anti-inflammatories to mean all painkillers. I will look into that only I didn't see my GP but a locum (Friday afternoon). I might add that there is no 'Checkpoint Charlene' and I was dealt with promptly and efficiently.

Goodnight all.

I was hoping to go on a list but covid put the kibosh on that.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Feeling a lot better now especially as I'm back on the painkillers. Problem is I didn't realise how dependant on them I was. But given the present state of the NHS I won't be getting the replacement hips and knee anytime soon.