Up at the Golf Club I met Betty, my 'Brazilian married to a Spaniard' friend, who was so excited to see me again. We chatted over coffee as there was no-one else in the cafe and I was really pleased how much Spanish I remembered. We got told off by the manager for having returned to the UK and he's told Neil he has to go back and play more often.
Susan and I left the boys to their round of golf and we went off for a bit of sight seeing and shopping. Before going to pick the guys up we decided we would stop for a coffee in the village - but finding somewhere open wasn't easy. Even a walk out along the promenande only found chiringhita after chiringhita closed for winter. In the end, we decided to have coffee at the golf club.
We'd arranged to meet some friends in the evening and when we got to the bar, we met some others there too so we all had a few drinks and a really good night.
Wednesday was to be a much different day as one of our party was very unwell and was unable to leave the apartment as she needed to stay in close proximity to the loo. I needed to go to the local farmacia to practice more of my spanish to get something to help and whatever they gave us worked, but it meant Wednesday was a right off for her. They guys had another game of golf and I drove up to Heurcal Overa to meet one of our neighbours from where we lived in the mountains. It was good to catch up although some of the news wasn't so good.
We'd been down the new road from Pulpí to Terreros which is a great new road, although I used to like the slower, windy road through the mountain, so I thought I would come back from Heurcal Overa on the Pulpí road to see whether they had completed that stretch of the road, but they hadn't. So it was a slow journey back, along make shift roads full of drainage dips that were so abrupt you needed to slow to 20kph to avoid losing your front bumper.
Maybe next time we visit it will be open!
Thursday would see another of the group go down with the dreaded bug.
Sunday, 30 January 2011
That 'New Girl in the Office' feeling.
OK. We are sitting as normal on a Sunday night, watching 'Top Gear' and once again, I have the 'new girl' butterflies as I start my new job tomorrow. There's the usual what will I be doing, what will the others be like and how will I find my way around the place, which seemed like a complete maze when I went for my interview.
The company supply a huge variety of stuff to garden centres from the bags of decorative pebbles to paving stones, from garden fountains to garden gnomes and is sited on a disused airfield. The disused hangers are an ideal place for the stuff to be housed and I'm sure it won't take too long to find my way around, but I don't have the best sense of direction so I may be in for some fun times in the early days.
It will be an interesting day tomorrow but I'm up for the challenge.
Wish me luck!
The company supply a huge variety of stuff to garden centres from the bags of decorative pebbles to paving stones, from garden fountains to garden gnomes and is sited on a disused airfield. The disused hangers are an ideal place for the stuff to be housed and I'm sure it won't take too long to find my way around, but I don't have the best sense of direction so I may be in for some fun times in the early days.
It will be an interesting day tomorrow but I'm up for the challenge.
Wish me luck!
Friday, 28 January 2011
What a week!
I finally finished my 3 week assignment 5 months after I started, and I will miss the people there, as I have really got on well with them. There's only one question I ever used to ask when taking up a reference for anyone I was thinking of employing and the very same words were said to me by the FD - he would employ me again. He'll give me a good reference for my new employer and I'm happy I did a good job for them.
And so, I had a week off before starting my new job on Monday.
So, what have I been doing with my free time?
Well, I've been in Spain catching up with some of my old friends. We flew in the early hours of Monday morning with another couple, the idea being a week of winter sun to give us a break from the grey, cold english weather and an opportunity for Neil to play a few rounds of golf at his old course and for me to catch up with some of my friends back in Terreros.
We had been watching the weather forecasts since New Year and they had been having a good few weeks of warm sunny days - but that all changed as we flew into Alicante and the further we drove south, the heavier the clouds got.
By the time we reached Terreros we were certainly glad we'd got our winter jackets on. It was highly probable that it was warmer back in the UK.
As we drove through Terreros it looked as if more bars were closed than normal but La Venta was open and serving Menu del Día, so we parked up and grabbed a table. An hour or so later, we were ready to meet Ava for the keys to the apartment we had booked.
We had a couple of friends with us, Alex would be on the golf course with Neil, while Susan and I would shop, sight see and generally chill out. Monday saw us with great plans that, by Wednesay morning, would be completely changed.
But for now, we'll focus on Monday. The apartment was a bit chilly after being closed up for a while and so our first priorities were to get it warm, get some shopping, call and book a tee-time for the guys for Tuesday and have an early night after being up since 2am.
All went according to plan. I knew Neil was excited about playing his old golf course and this was re-affirmed when he was up and dressed by 6.30am when he wasn't due on the tee until 10am. He was like a little boy on Christmas morning who couldn't wait to open his presents. It was so sweet to see.
And so, golf clubs in the back of the car, we started our first day's holiday.
And so, I had a week off before starting my new job on Monday.
So, what have I been doing with my free time?
Well, I've been in Spain catching up with some of my old friends. We flew in the early hours of Monday morning with another couple, the idea being a week of winter sun to give us a break from the grey, cold english weather and an opportunity for Neil to play a few rounds of golf at his old course and for me to catch up with some of my friends back in Terreros.
We had been watching the weather forecasts since New Year and they had been having a good few weeks of warm sunny days - but that all changed as we flew into Alicante and the further we drove south, the heavier the clouds got.
By the time we reached Terreros we were certainly glad we'd got our winter jackets on. It was highly probable that it was warmer back in the UK.
As we drove through Terreros it looked as if more bars were closed than normal but La Venta was open and serving Menu del Día, so we parked up and grabbed a table. An hour or so later, we were ready to meet Ava for the keys to the apartment we had booked.
We had a couple of friends with us, Alex would be on the golf course with Neil, while Susan and I would shop, sight see and generally chill out. Monday saw us with great plans that, by Wednesay morning, would be completely changed.
But for now, we'll focus on Monday. The apartment was a bit chilly after being closed up for a while and so our first priorities were to get it warm, get some shopping, call and book a tee-time for the guys for Tuesday and have an early night after being up since 2am.
All went according to plan. I knew Neil was excited about playing his old golf course and this was re-affirmed when he was up and dressed by 6.30am when he wasn't due on the tee until 10am. He was like a little boy on Christmas morning who couldn't wait to open his presents. It was so sweet to see.
And so, golf clubs in the back of the car, we started our first day's holiday.
Thursday, 20 January 2011
How Much?
It's a good job our dogs are precious to us. Over £200 spent at the vets in less than 2 weeks.
Last week there was a variety of injections, creams and medicines - this week it's annual boosters. We've decided to keep their Pet Passports up to date incase we decide to take them on holiday with us and so they have to have a rabies booster. And so, our bank account is £200 lighter and out dogs are feeling like pin cushions but at least they are safe from a variety of illnesses for another year.
I hope they appreciate it!
Last week there was a variety of injections, creams and medicines - this week it's annual boosters. We've decided to keep their Pet Passports up to date incase we decide to take them on holiday with us and so they have to have a rabies booster. And so, our bank account is £200 lighter and out dogs are feeling like pin cushions but at least they are safe from a variety of illnesses for another year.
I hope they appreciate it!
It's official - I am employed again!
I got the phone call today to confirm my start date. The details have been sorted, and I start in a weeks time.
I leave my current place tomorrow and I will miss it, even though it was always just a temporary assignment. After not working for 2½ years it has been really good to have such a good assignment to build my confidence again. Now I'm ready for a real challenge - and that's what my new role will be.
And so, I have a week off and then I'm back into the fray!
I leave my current place tomorrow and I will miss it, even though it was always just a temporary assignment. After not working for 2½ years it has been really good to have such a good assignment to build my confidence again. Now I'm ready for a real challenge - and that's what my new role will be.
And so, I have a week off and then I'm back into the fray!
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Your call is important to us!!!!!!! Yeah, right!
Recently I feel as if life is passing me by because I am hold waiting for the next available operator!
Last week I needed to call the bank for work. I rang one dept, who gave me a number for another dept, who gave me a number..... well, you get the idea.
5 numbers later Outward payments gave me a number for Periodic payments who, I was assured, were the only people who could answer my question.
I waited for 15 mins, then hung up and rang the main office who confirmed the number and re-iterated, I needed to speak to Periodic payments. I rang again - half an hour later, I'm still being assured that the next available operator will be with me soon. Again, I hung up - toilet break and coffee were becoming too urgent to ignore.
On my return I realised that the desk next to me was vacant for the day so I could dial the number on loudspeaker and leave it ringing while I continued with my other work. After the elevator music had been gradually infiltrating my brain for an hour, I decided my call was not that important to them, and hung up.
I rang the main office and expressed my immense frustration ( in a calm and controlled manner of course) and they said they would look into it for me.
The following day I had an email, from the Periodic payment section of the bank. Could I please ring them on a completely different number.
I did so, and they answered before the 2nd ring. A brief discussion highlighted the problem. Some months ago they had changed the numbers used. The one I had been given had not been used for several months, didn't have a phone plugged in to ring, and no-one had thought to change the message that people got on ringing it to one giving us some useful information - such as: this number has been changed to....... Equally - tell the other departments!!!!
And so, I worked out in total I had wasted almost 3 hours hanging on to a phone that was never going to be answered - at least the bank had the decency to apologise to me!
And so to today - a home matter this time - EDF, electricity. This time 15 minutes hanging on to speak to someone, then 20 minutes while they went to sort something out. Then later on, a further 15 minutes waiting to speak to someone and another 15 minutes while they went to find something out.
And no, there really wasn't any other way to sort the problem other than to speak to someone because it was their error in the first place that I was trying to sort out.
Oh, there has to be a better way.
Last week I needed to call the bank for work. I rang one dept, who gave me a number for another dept, who gave me a number..... well, you get the idea.
5 numbers later Outward payments gave me a number for Periodic payments who, I was assured, were the only people who could answer my question.
I waited for 15 mins, then hung up and rang the main office who confirmed the number and re-iterated, I needed to speak to Periodic payments. I rang again - half an hour later, I'm still being assured that the next available operator will be with me soon. Again, I hung up - toilet break and coffee were becoming too urgent to ignore.
On my return I realised that the desk next to me was vacant for the day so I could dial the number on loudspeaker and leave it ringing while I continued with my other work. After the elevator music had been gradually infiltrating my brain for an hour, I decided my call was not that important to them, and hung up.
I rang the main office and expressed my immense frustration ( in a calm and controlled manner of course) and they said they would look into it for me.
The following day I had an email, from the Periodic payment section of the bank. Could I please ring them on a completely different number.
I did so, and they answered before the 2nd ring. A brief discussion highlighted the problem. Some months ago they had changed the numbers used. The one I had been given had not been used for several months, didn't have a phone plugged in to ring, and no-one had thought to change the message that people got on ringing it to one giving us some useful information - such as: this number has been changed to....... Equally - tell the other departments!!!!
And so, I worked out in total I had wasted almost 3 hours hanging on to a phone that was never going to be answered - at least the bank had the decency to apologise to me!
And so to today - a home matter this time - EDF, electricity. This time 15 minutes hanging on to speak to someone, then 20 minutes while they went to sort something out. Then later on, a further 15 minutes waiting to speak to someone and another 15 minutes while they went to find something out.
And no, there really wasn't any other way to sort the problem other than to speak to someone because it was their error in the first place that I was trying to sort out.
Oh, there has to be a better way.
Monday, 17 January 2011
Job Hunting
Those of you who read this regularly will know I have been job hunting, since August, but being on a temporary assignment that kept getting extended tended to make me a little lazy. So, although I have been trawling through the emails from Monster Jobs and Total Jobs everyday and sending off my CV, I only started some serious searching at Christmas, knowing that this assignment finished this Friday.
Since being back I have realised that job hunting has changed a lot over the last 10 years and is now very internet driven via agencies. Job listings in papers are very limited and so, the biggest barrier to getting back to work is getting past the agencies as few companies advertise direct.
Just sending in your CV gets you no where. They get thousands every day and unless yours stands out for all the right reasons, it gets lost in the masses. Most agencies even state that they will not acknowledge your application and if you don't hear from them you've not been successful. Getting feedback as to why you haven't been successful merely extracts a response of 'there were others who met the criteria more closely!' - really helpful!
Registering with them doesn't seem to help in a lot of cases either, they seem really pleased to have you on board - for a couple of weeks - and then when they can't find anything for you they seem to lose interest and move on to the new applicants.
And finally, unless you 'gel' with one of the recruiters and they 'get' you - it seems you are just wasting your time.
I am lucky, in that I have an agency where I have someone who seems to 'get' me. I spoke with them last week and they were on the look out for a placement for me but they had nothing yet. Then, late on Friday I got a call +to say there was a permanent vacancy they felt I was perfect for. After a brief chat I agreed they could send my details through to the company and within the hour I was scheduled for an interview at 9am this morning.
And so, I met with them this morning and had a good interview. For a variety of reasons it suits us both to work on a 3 month contract with a view to a permanent contract if it works for both of us.
And so, it looks like I'll be starting at the beginning of February if the finer details of the contract can be agreed.
Fingers crossed!
Since being back I have realised that job hunting has changed a lot over the last 10 years and is now very internet driven via agencies. Job listings in papers are very limited and so, the biggest barrier to getting back to work is getting past the agencies as few companies advertise direct.
Just sending in your CV gets you no where. They get thousands every day and unless yours stands out for all the right reasons, it gets lost in the masses. Most agencies even state that they will not acknowledge your application and if you don't hear from them you've not been successful. Getting feedback as to why you haven't been successful merely extracts a response of 'there were others who met the criteria more closely!' - really helpful!
Registering with them doesn't seem to help in a lot of cases either, they seem really pleased to have you on board - for a couple of weeks - and then when they can't find anything for you they seem to lose interest and move on to the new applicants.
And finally, unless you 'gel' with one of the recruiters and they 'get' you - it seems you are just wasting your time.
I am lucky, in that I have an agency where I have someone who seems to 'get' me. I spoke with them last week and they were on the look out for a placement for me but they had nothing yet. Then, late on Friday I got a call +to say there was a permanent vacancy they felt I was perfect for. After a brief chat I agreed they could send my details through to the company and within the hour I was scheduled for an interview at 9am this morning.
And so, I met with them this morning and had a good interview. For a variety of reasons it suits us both to work on a 3 month contract with a view to a permanent contract if it works for both of us.
And so, it looks like I'll be starting at the beginning of February if the finer details of the contract can be agreed.
Fingers crossed!
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