My Everchanging Plot of Life

A clear and clean desk!

Nothing in the Green Box for dealing with.

A short "To Do" list. But there are some mammoth tasks on it!

Several jobs I've been putting off for years have been done. I'm proud of the fact all my loose leaf music has been sorted, finally, into two lever arch files, rather than scattered across several smaller files. I've also got all my other printed music back in alphabetical order... the world is a much better place when books and music are in alphabetical order.

I was also to be spotted in front of the TV, watching a film! Three days running... which will ruin the reputation I have of never watching TV.

Back to normal routine, more or less, tomorrow.

So, I've shredded enough paper to fill fourteen bin liners, got about fifteen large empty coffee jars washed and ready to go, (I am not keeping them for chutney making season, I looked in the cupboard and there are more than enough!)and four reusable bags from our nearest supermarket full of non-shredded paper/card.

I am feeling calmer, and more reasonable again!

This is one of those nights when I really, really wish I didn't live so far away from my friends, because, I could so do with some company, a hug and someone who will let me cry it all out.

I'll be OK soon, honest.

The large multi-coloured document that has been keeping me occupied for a couple of days now, in between other interesting things, is finished. A trip to the large edge of town shopping centre provided the necessary new ink cartridge. I normally wouldn't have gone that far, but since I was going that way to play for a funeral anyway,it seemed a sensible plan.

So, now all I can do is wait.

And see.

And keep myself thoroughly occupied with various ploys.

The next few days are going to be long ones, especially as I'm on plant watering duties for the duration. Do I start praying for rain, now?

I don't do much printing of documents these days, and most of what I do is in black. It's a very geriatric printer, but has been most faithful, apart from the occasional hissy fit in churning out loads of sheets of paper with only one or two symbols on when I only wanted one page of written work, times of hysterics generally related to accounts and temper tantrums when asked to do too much at once. Possibly learnt behaviour from both the owners this printer has had. I'd quite like it to last a little bit longer, and so I'm treating it with respect, and not too much work.

Today, however, I wanted to print out a largish document in colour. Except, the colours all seem to be running out. It looked most strange when I'd finished. It does mean I could do the proof reading without printing out a black and white draft copy.

It's not an urgent job, luckily, but it does mean going a buying a new print cartridge tomorrow, as I've re-filled this one more times than I should have done.

However, though I say it myself, it's a splendid looking piece of work, even if I secretly like the original non-computer generated version much more. The computerised version is kind of neat and tidy, despite my efforts to retain completely the scruffy round the edges, un-lined up, occasional mis-spelling, and mishaps of the hand-written version.

But, if I hadn't had such expert assistance yesterday, I'd still be working on it now, so a bit of a printing crisis is a mere bagatelle.

It's most useful function, after being a music stand of course, is being a book holder.

Most often this is for when I'm copy-typing for longer than just a moment or two. It means I can have the book, or paper at the same angle as the computer screen, right next to it, and can just glance across, rather than up and down as I would do if the book or paper were on the desk! It's also got helpful doofers for holding a book open, which can be most useful indeed.

So, that's what my music stand has been doing today, though I had been hopeful of letting it have a turn at it's primary function, but it wasn't to be.

I'm no nearer to solving the mystery of how to get the kind of background I want in this document, but I've got the text written up now. I've a few ideas to try out before I admit defeat and go and ask someone who knows what they're doing... or not, as the case may be. There's no rush.

Ooo... on my travels yesterday to the bigger city, when I stopped off to have a mooch around a bookshop or several. I found something I've been looking for for many years, and never seen. A pocket sized Bible, in the translation I prefer, which will be much, much lighter for taking with me when I'm travelling!! I've got a paper-back normal sized Bible, but it's almost as heavy as the hardback Bible I use on an everyday basis. And, um, it's in American English, which annoys me. Before I do use this lovely little new one, however, I have a date with some sticky-back plastic to make the paperback cover a bit sturdier. Sadly, plastic book jackets don't come in small enough sizes. I know, I double-checked with an expert of many years standing! As well as remembering from my book-selling days.

Now, to go and commiserate with the local rugby union team supporters. So near, and yet not near enough...

Am in a bit of a state of shock!!

Absolutely the last person in the world I would have expected to panic about a medical scare, expressing a want and a need for someone (moreover, for that someone to be me!) to be available on the other end of a phone, just in case the doctors gave bad news, did so this morning. It certainly explained all the really bad behaviour for the last few days, that I'd been studiously ignoring, thinking I was getting subtly "punished" for misdeeds I'd not quite worked out yet what they were...

Mmm... maybe I'm being just a wee bit too self-absorbed at the moment! I did apologise for not picking up the clues that there was a major state of anxiety going on.

In between the panic, and the news there was absolutely nothing to panic about, I kept being counted. Workplace was having a room audit done. Apparently, I'm the most visible person on the whole site, and seen most regularly going from place to place. We could have told them that, without paying for an external audit.

Choir Practice... I announced I'd lost the will to live, and play another note after an hour and a half of solid work, and that I had a life to go and attend to. I was duly sent home to attend to it!

I've been doing a bit of advance organising... sorting out new e-mail addresses, filling in bank forms, and other such administrative delights.

So, I've been changing e-mails all over the place all afternoon... certainly all the important ones (like blog, and other sites I use regularly) and think I've done most of them now.

It's wearing on the brain, though.

Just when I thought I'd sorted out the "How to be in four places at once" conundrum, I get the next variation on the theme.

So, I could be at three ordinations to the diaconate, two ordinations to the priesthood, one ordination as a Baptist Minister, several parties to celebrate all these, oh and a Significant Birthday party and Anniversary celebration.

All within 48 hours, in five different places. Logistically, it might well be possible to add another one in.... but....!

I'm just off to put my head under the duvet to think about it all.

I muttered something yesterday about wanting both a subtle knife and a wrinkle in time.

Not a single one of my literary minded friends got both references.

I hate writing official letters.

However, it is done, as is one very, very, very important personal letter.

As is the draft of the letter that will get sent out to everyone I know, more or less, in a months time... then we watch the proverbial stuff hitting the fan. A three month wrinkle in time would be very good about now.

I now bring to you the latest in the series of the Lost Plot Wardrobe Dramas. These are developments from the Sock Drawer and No Odd Socks episodes of a few days ago.

So, to The T-Shirt Saga and the Is it really time for New Trainers, again episodes..

Both were accomplished with remarkable ease. Special offers on T-shirts were happening in the Large Store where you need to have a card to purchase anything. So, six T-shirts were purchased for fifteen pounds. And, and.... longer sleeves seem to be back again, oh joy! oh happiness! oh frabjous day. I have suffered much during this short, tight sleeves era, and have kept two or three t-shirts well beyond the time when I should have torn them up for rags, or binned them, purely for the pleasure of wearing a T-shirt with floppy sleeves.

On to the trainers. Now, here, I have broken with tradition. Being small of foot, I can get away with children's trainers. (This is mostly to do with the lack of VAT on children's shoes, therefore meaning I can usually get a better quality pair for my money.) This time, having perused the Children's size 5 trainers very carefully, then took myself over to the Ladies size 5 shelves. I noted that this time, I was going to do better with the grown-ups. So, for the first time in a good few years, I have Grown up Shoes and Trainers.

Are there more exciting episodes to come? Probably, I may well have to think about such things as Proper Work Clothes, and jeans again.

But, for now, I am exhausted, and need a lie down to recover.

I have had several of those recently!

When laminating, removing laminated item asap is highly advisable. Crinkly edges will be the result if you do not.

The words "remind" and "ring" are not interchangeable. This is in relation to the Tooth Fairy. If a rumour is spread that all grown ups have the direct phone number of the Tooth Fairy, it's my fault.

My mobile phone time is more reliable for an accurate time than the clock in the room where I was working yesterday, especially when going for a bus that's only every half an hour.

I seem to know more relatively current pop music that I thought. Obviously, working with 16-19 year olds is corrupting me.

A refresher course in French might not be a bad idea. It is more than quarter of a century since French A level was passed. French is still used on an occasional basis, and it's getting rustier!

When letting one's warped sense of humour loose, some seriously bright ideas often emerge from the most unexpected sources. Though, spending an hour searching for knitting patterns, glow-in-the-dark versions, and inflatable versions of religious statues, was maybe not the best use of time...

Wonder what today will bring?

Bother.

I had a fit of enthusiasm and stripped the bed of it's clothing this morning. Now I want to go to bed, and it's a sorry mess of unclothed pillows and duvet.

It must have been the shock of managing to get the lie in I've been promising myself since well before Easter, and just not achieving.

Or the shock of managing a bizarre conversation yesterday extremely well. I kept repeating, "It's a basic tool of my trade." and refused to engage in conversation about it.

For the record, I buy music manuscript paper on an occasional basis, but when I do buy it I need A4, loose leaf, 12 stave, reasonable quality paper. It's usually needed to be filed in one of three lever arch files, and needs to stand up to me rubbing out mistakes!! It may be "expensive" if it's not something you need, but it's under £10.00 worth a year, maybe every two or three years. Telling me enthusiastically about the pack of 10 cheap, exercise book size stuff, in the local emporium that advertises everything at one price is not going to convert me. Neither is telling me about templates you can down load off the internet... they do not do the job I need them to do, therefore they are not bargains!!!!

Sighs. I so love people who try and teach me a better way to do my job with no knowledge of what is involved.

Right, it's obvious that the duvet cover,sheet and pillow cases are just going to sit there. I'd better go and do something about them!

Good night.

and it'll probably make me giggle for days!

I have a pretty eclectic load of friends, in real life from most of the places I have lived or worked, here, and on Facebook. All ages and types of people. But, Facebook is the place where my numerous worlds overlap... it can be very entertaining!

I enjoy doing the status updates, and there have been some very funny series of comments that have resulted. I've got quite a few other friends who are very good with the kind of one-liners needed. The Fair Trade Condom conversation was a classic of it's genre, as was today's about Mary, the Mother of Jesus. In which it was concluded that skin that didn't age had to be one of the perks of being Jesus' mother. It's the way all these people, most of whom have not met the others, join in the conversations that have me giggling.

Mind you, the thought of all my friends being in the one place at the one time is just a little bit scary.....much as I love them all dearly. I'll keep it to Facebook.

I did that, in abundance, at One Day a Week work about an Hour's Bus Ride Away today.

I was in the wrong place, you see. On the Wrong Day. Wearing the wrong clothes too, and instead of my usual range of activities I was sat behind a computer all day. We have, however, achieved more than we thought possible in the two days I've been on the task in hand, and it's all going to be so much more straight-forwards after next week as well. So, to the relief of those who thought something was wrong with me, or that I'd been taken away from Small Site (where I normally work) to Large Site (where I go reluctantly when I have to!), things go back to normal next week.

I shall quite miss this job if it doesn't go into a second year. It has possibilities for doing so, and possibilities for going full time, but there are lots of ifs and buts around it all.

Tomorrow will be a well earned day off. And.... it's a house to myself all day day. So, I'm going to sort out all my music, and make lots of noise in the process.