Hmm a new week and a much happier Caz. After an absolute nightmare of a week which seemed it would never end last week I was positively happy yesterday for the start of the week on site. Why? That would be because of the return of the person I was covering for sick leave on has returned! Its amazing the joy of seeing the car of said person parked up in the compound can bring! So I’ve started the week a lot less stressed and happier about leaving site towards the end of the week to go off to Gascit. Its always nice to be able to handover to a person when you go on leave or return from leave rather than leaving bits of paper.

Mind you I’m still tired even though I had a big lay in for me on Sunday (to 9am!), but at least the shoulders aren’t aching as much this week … and I’ve pretty much sorted the paperwork yesterday :)

Just have the delights of the M40/M42 on Wednesday night after work between me and Gascit yet to get past. Packing gets done tonight after my first (and I feel somewhat pointless, but it’s a hoop I’ve got to jump through for my PH mentor) parents meeting for Pack Holiday. They get to see the photos of the new adults on the scene … will Little Sis and Dr T scare them? Let’s hope not!

Tents: Backpacker 1 Mountain Hardware 0 (well I can't be doing with hassles of the mountain hardware after a long car journey ... mind you this might change and I end up putting both tents in the boot!)

Hmm currently have a bit of a ponder with regards to tentage on the forthcoming GaSCiT camp. Do I take my own tent which is a ‘Millets best’ Backpacker tent that you can only sit up in at the bit where your head is, or do I take Dr T’s 4 Man ‘stick it up a mountain face’ Mountain Hardware tent (currently residing Chez Caz) which I can semi stand in? I’m currently erring on the Mountain Hardware ‘cos of the semi standing aspect … but a 4 man tent for 1 person for 6 nights does seem a bit on the large side, but then I would have more space to spread my stuff ;)

I also had the realisation that I will have to cover the equivalent of 15 person days in 3 person days next week … arrgh! So I think its unlikely that I’ll be getting to see a lot of site as I will be trawling through what paperwork I need get sorted before I escape (which seems to grow by the hour) …. So lets also hope for no phone calls so I get a chance to do the work (Alright that’s more like a micracle).

… Thank Crunchie it’s Friday!

So I've got home from work and donned the shorts and still trying to cool down ... we hit 33.1C in the office at 1540hrs today phew! that's hot! Then I went down to the ferryport which was much nicer as there was a lovely breeze to cool things down .. I know where I'd rather have spent my day.

So other than being hot (but able to wear shorts..) at the weekend with the good doctor we went to the Derby Beer Fest at which I got in a half of one of my fav Kent beers as I won't be at the Kent beer Fest due to GaSCiT. Due to heat of being inside for the festival I didn't drink that much .... then on sunday after a second lie in (what a novelty!) we headed north to Ikea to purchase a nice large frame to put up in my living room and a table for my laptop so I don't have to have the dining table up dominating my living room ... after which we headed near the land of Madand went to Sudbury Hall where as well as seeing the hall we also went to the NT museum of childhood which is in its 19th century wing.

So now its back to work and being in charge of the site as the Resident Engineer is on his hols and the other site engineer is still off sick which leaves me in charge and driving the lovely site van (aka a berlingo diesel van... people buy these as cars!) ... so I'm a white van girl at the mo!

Prior to the weekend Tom communicated this:

ENTJ (Extravert, Intuitive, Thinker, Judger); Q or Quark.
Good job: all-being master of time/space/dimention

Can't see him as an all-being master myself.

Weekend was good, if hot. It's still hot (28.6C@1130hrs) and I'm still stuck in a metal box with trousers on ... I feel that the shorts are coming out tomorrow as there are no meetings on the horizon!

I'll try and write more about the weekend later when I'm not at work!

Being the good Civil Engineer I read my new copy of NCE after work as it had come in the post. Amongst the articles was the RedR challenge (p29) and who should I see in it but that BUSAG stop out Id/ Raff! and in 2 photos of the event! It looks as if it was lots of flash silly games/ wide games!

It a hot and sunny 31C here on the south coast and where am I stuck? Yep in a metal box! I’m feeling a bit warm and sticky at the mo and glowing nicely! Could I get away with a sundress on site tomorrow? (well it is one step further from the dress & DMs look).

…and to add to the wonderfulness of being hot and sticky at the mo I have Division Meeting to endure this evening, wow what an exciting life I lead!

But before that I have to drive into Civic in my nice warm car that’s been sat in the sun all day. Hmmm the sooner I get a new car the sooner I have AirCon ….

Oooh Star Trek Personality Test. Not a fan of the show but it based on proper personality stuff!

So this is what I end up as ... not sure on the introvert bit?!?! well quite a bit of it ....

Myers-Briggs would say that you are an ISFJ (Introvert, Sensor, Feeler, Judger). In Star Trek language, you share a basic personality configuration with Beverly Crusher and Chakotay.



People like you are generally highly nurturing and caring. You're gentle and thoughtful, but also cautious, especially about exposing your inner self. You're highly protective of your privacy and share yourself with others as a sign of love. Once comfortable, however, you are quite affectionate. You also desire steady and unstinting love in return.

You're very literal and maintain a high awareness of the physical world. You are quite likely to have a highly developed sense of spirituality.

You are uncompromising about your personal standards and easily offended, especially when you do not feel appreciated or when people violate your personal space. You are diligent and conscientious, organized and decisive. You respond well to politeness. You enjoy productive routine.

Your primary goal in life is helping people in real ways. Your reward is stability in your daily life and people who support your feelings. You cannot have friends who would ever ask you to compromise your values.

Good careers for your type include primary care physician, chief medical officer, elementary school worker, guidance counselor, special education teacher, and genealogist.

Hmm came across this ... Loo Roll Test. Personally I'm safe loo paper!

I've actually had a weekend on the south coast to myself ... its a real novelty! It meant I got to have a decent lie in which has been wanted for a long time now!

I also made it into a pub, the first time in many weeks spending an enjoyable night in Fareham playing pool and drink a pint or 3 of Greene King IPA. Then it was crashing at our friends where we all didn't get up that early! Will then realised he had drainage hassles on the extension (using my professional knowledge in the process!) before I left them to go try and tidy up the flat.

This morning I had a mini lie in as it was Church parade (yawn) we had one of our Brownies reading and she did it very well with her own Pompey lilt. We had the most out of the uiformed sections with a whole 2 Brownies!! Other than that there was 1 scout ... one day maybe the church will realise having two main church parades a year will get more Brownies etc. Its only the second church parade I've made (always some how spend the first weekend in the month away!) and despite being dragged to church weekly in my youth i just can't follow the service (so what must it be like for the Brownies?). The vicar likes to be very dramatic which is frankly scary at times when he shouts mid sentence and then goes to whisper ... calm and even tone is good in my book. Mind you Kestrel said that now after 4 years she roughly knows what's going on. Other than our Brownie reading the only other highlight to the service (well other than the end of it) was that I managed to tread back onto my sheep keyring at the start of the intercessions (ie prayers) setting it off bleating! So you had me clenching it in my hand to muffle it while it went on ... so we were all smirking/ giggling for half the intercessions! I hope Dr T appreciates this event as he likes to annoy me with it at times!

Oh and talking of the Dr he was just up the road at yet another rally (he's been to more rallies than his age!) and was probably the oldest in years (but maybe not attitude!) .... one day he might retire from the things .... or is that a silly thing to say? His excuse is that he has to go to the reps meeting as he's alledgely the associate members rep.

I had a rather boring Employee Development Survey (aka Personnel wanting to make themselves important again) in the mail when I went in first thing this morning … however it was interestingly addressed to me with my title as Assistant Senior Project Engineer. Surely if you were an assistant Senior you’d just be a Project engineer? Even so its not my actual job title which is still a lowly Graduate Engineer (unless I’ve been promoted without being told .. the pay packet hasn’t changed mind you!). Or is this just personnel at their best?

I have bowling with Highways this lunchtime which will lighten the day a little (although at this moment in time what a need is a decent night’s sleep and a good shoulder massage) before I have to sort out some more account stuff to do with a claim ‘cos the Port have jumped up and down … can I please do some engineering some time soon? .. I’m not an accountant!!! Maybe I’ll be relaxed and have shoulders that hurt less by this evening so I can enjoy Archery tonight.

…. Roll on the weekend!

This evening I have been entertaining the Ladies of the Trefoil Guild (but none of them are anywhere near as youthful as the DOGS Trefoil Guild!) by talking about my trip to NZ. Courtesy of Dr T I stunned them with technology by using my laptop and his projector .. and they were impressed with the quality of the pictures they were seeing (and I was only using a wall!). I had a somewhat more enjoyable evening that I thought I would.

I also now have a brand new washing machine which I managed to plumb in and have a load of washing in within 40mins before Brownies! I was rather proud of this!

Hopefully this weekend I'll get loads of bits done I've been meaning to as I have a whole Saturday to myself (I think, not checked site programme yet as the other engineer is off sick ...) so maybe after over a month of trying my car might get its new back tyres! However I won't be getting a lay in Sunday as its church parade ... will we get a colour party? Miracles are more likely!