Nov
30
2007
2

The mother of all days

Today has just been one of those days. Some days tick along quite nicely and other days just start losing it from the word go. It has been one crisis after the other. Today consisted of the following…

– a client getting arrested
– a client’s child going into care after he was left alone by his Mum
– a client overdosing
– time spent calming a hysterical and distressed client down
– me spending 3 ½ hours in A & E
– spending an hour with a pain management nurse trying to work out how to manege a particular problem
– talking to an unsuspecting guy about his girlfriend’s level of drug use
– over-riding a doctor’s shit decision making
– calling the police to ‘un-register’ a missing person
– getting a client into rehab within three hour period (a miracle by all accounts!)
– numerous phone calls
– mountains of note-writing
– eating lunch at 3.15pm
– going to get my hair cut
– eating tea at 9.15pm

None of the above is particularly unusual, it just rarely all happens on the same day. Don’t get me wrong. It has been a good day and I feel like I have made a difference, but I am absolutely shattered! My head feels mullered and emotionally I am wiped out. Now I am thinking it is time for a bath and bed.

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized |
Nov
27
2007
6

Embarrassing moment

I was in the supermarket today listening to a podcast on my ipod as I was doing my shopping when something made me laugh out loud. I embarrassed myself quite a bit, but it got even worse. This bloke walking down the aisle said something to me so I took my earphones out and apologised for not hearing him, to which he replied “You are one of the most gorgeous women I have ever seen”. I thanked him, skipped off and laughed again, but I was still hugely embarrassed.

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized |
Nov
24
2007
2

Gifts of love

Driving back from the supermarket this morning I was listening to a radio discussion about Christmas presents that the radio presenters had received as children and the ones that made a big difference to their lives. Whilst I don’t remember receiving any presents that made a huge difference to my life, I realised that there are very few presents that I actually remember.

However, there is one huge exception. When I was about 8 years old and my sister was 6 our parents gave us a Sindy house, but this wasn’t one of the manufactured ones. Our Sindy house was lovingly made by my Dad, it was basically a tall bookshelf with extra wide shelves that gave it three rooms. Each room was then furnished by my Mum’s creative genius, sofas and beds made out of tissue boxes, tables made out of cardboard toilet roll inners for the pedestal with cardboard for the top and book shelves made out of little boxes. She made blankets, pillows and cushions out of off-cuts of fabric. We adored it, but what struck me today was that my parents who had very little money thought really hard about a present they could give us and then they had to put all the work into creating it. We played with it for many years and it is only now that I truly appreciate how much love they put into making it.

So, which childhood Christmas present do you remember best? Not just the most expensive one but the one that was selected so carefully by the giver that it meant a lot?

NB. For those sharp-eyed people, yes I have started a thread on the ship with an identical post.

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized |
Nov
23
2007
0

Ahhhhh!

For the first time in I don’t know how long I have a whole weekend to myself. Nothing planned. Nothing significant to do or places to be. So this weekend I will be reading a good book, making Christmas cards, making up my Christmas show box and my secret santa present, going to a work and/or a swim and sleeping.

I am really looking forward to it.

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized |
Nov
20
2007
8

Phew!

I got a slightly panicked text from my Mum this morning saying that their lovely fluffy ginger cat Justin had disappeared. He is the most gorgeous cat and Mum said that she woke up lots of times in the night because he has a bad habit of sleeping on her head and she missed him in the night. Thankfully, he has turned up. Apparently he was shut in next door – he goes there for afternoon tea it would seem.

So, here is a gratuitous pic of the kitties… it’s a hard life living with my parents!

The boys2

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized |
Nov
18
2007
3

Happy Birthday to me!!

I also meant to say… yesterday was my blog-birthday.

I am now one year old!!!

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized |
Nov
18
2007
1

A bit of everything!

I am absolutely shattered! I have had a brilliant weekend but I feel like I have been on the go the whole time.

On Friday I drove down to the Isle of Wight as I had to go and do a work visit to one of the prisons. That went fine and then I went to Smudgie Towers for tea. It was great to catch up and I can confirm that the building work is progressing nicely 🙂 Then I went to stay with my ex-neighbours in their lovely little cottage. I met their new dog and goat. Excitement all the way!

On Saturday I got the boat back to the mainland and travelled to Winchester to stay with my friend Pete. He spoilt me rotten and was the perfect host… I even got coffee in bed this morning! On Saturday we wandered into Winchester town centre which was a bit strange as I haven’t been there for years and in the evening we went out for dinner with friends. This morning we went to church and then into town for a bit before I had to leave to drive home. It was a nightmare drive as it was pouring with rain and really dark.

Anyway, whilst I have been driving I have been listening to some of the recorded talks I ordered from Greenbelt. So far I have listened to…

Mark Yaconelli on “Failure, frustration and loss: the common person’s path to holiness” This was such an honest talk about perceived failure and how we deal with it.

Mark Yaconelli on ”How to ensure your funeral is well attended” which was basically about love.

Dave Tomlinson on “Finding a second innocence” – this is an amazing talk and well worth listening to. It was so good that I listened to it twice as it seemed to really resonate with me about my disenchantment with the church and my journey back into faith.

James Alison on “Dealing with the Clobber Texts” This talk was about interpreting what he calls the ‘clobber texts’ which are used to beat homosexuals over the head. He only got through the Old Testament texts, and I have the CD of the New Testament ones to listen to. This was much heavier going than the other talks and I definitely need to listen to it again to get a handle on what he was talking about.

Anyway, I might come back to some of these when I have had time to think, digest and wake-up a bit!!

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized |
Nov
14
2007
0

Bonsoir

Things have been busy this week but fairly ‘normal’ I guess. On Friday this week I am off to the Isle of Wight to do a rehab assessment. Hopefully the crossing should be fine and the weather won’t be too manky. I think I have managed to invite myself for dinner at Smudgie Towers and I am looking forward to seeing the new extension. Then I am staying overnight with the couple who used to be my neighbours before getting the boat back to the mainland and travelling to Winchester to stay with a friend. Should be a busy, but nice weekend I hope!!

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized |
Nov
10
2007
2

Quack, quack!!!

Today I went on a Duck Tour with my sister Louise. We had a lovely day even though the weather wasn’t up to much for most of the day.

So here is our day as a photo diary…

Louise and I met up at Victoria station and after a greasy breakfast and a mug of builders tea we made our way to near the London Eye to wait for our duck tour.

3 4

Finally we were able to commence our tour on “Cleopatra”

22 23

Basically to cut a long story short we visited lots of different places, although we had to take a slightly different route as various people were practising for tomorrows Remembrance Sunday celebrations.

42 32
52 56

Our tour guide was very funny and when he got on the boat he started off with an Italian accent saying that the usual guide was off sick so he was standing in. Then he launched into his usual Cockney spiel. He was such fun!

After our Duck Tour we went to Borough Market. It was absolutely packed, but I did take some photos of the fruit and veg as it is displayed so beautifully!

59

So after all that fun we went and did some shopping. I feel absolutely knackered now so we have rented a few DVD’s, for a curry in and we are going to vegetate for the rest of the evening!

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized |
Nov
05
2007
3

I am…

… having one of those days. I am feeling off-colour, tired, pissed off and lonely.

It is a terrible combination.

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized |

Design: TheBuckmaker.com WordPress Themes