The Saturday Boy

OK Saturday and a usual day. Over at Loopy Towers once more I am the first up. Follow the Saturday morning routine. Head downstairs, switch on the radio in the kitchen. Tun on the kettle (ooh! er missus) and manufacture coffee. Feed the washing machine, do the washing up I didn't do last night. Wipe down work surfaces. Drink coffee. Do my thing (currently trying to get my head round PHP and MySQL - sad I know but has to be done). Cal comes downstairs, feed Callum. Hang washing, turn on kettle (you saucy little thing) make coffee, feed washing machine. Monst wakes up and everything swithches off as she tries to get Cal to do his homework. The usual set of tantrums from the pair of them. Monst gets bugged by Cal's claims it's too hard, Cal gets bugged by the fact he has to do it and enters his usual round of coughing, foot stamping etc. Me I keep my head down and only intervene as peace keeper occaisionally. Mind you I feel bloody guilty about keeping out of it. Start playing with Blog:CMS as well. Why? It's work related, not satisfied with progress of IT in similar areas (Drupal install has never happened) so plan on sorting the issue elsewhere to my satisfaction so I know what I want to do can be achieved relatively simply. Plus Blog:CMS looks like the solution I mapped while in New York to the new version of Fade's website. Missed posting yesterday. Highlight of the day was a visit to the new library and stupidly didn't take the digi camera so we have the before evidence, might have to sort that next week some time. Space feels big empty but I think we were all wise enough to recognise that it's not going to feel big as soon as we move in. Drop an e-mail to David at HCLU to let him know where we're at (he likes that kind of thing and I had to tell someone my vibe). Architect has revised his plans. Floor loadings look like they're going to be an issue. The external door to the post room which we back onto is in fact a window (a detail the architect seems unaware of - we delight in pointing this out to the bloke showing us round). On the positive side, think we can fit in a user area that allows us to implement mobile training suite. Sally's plan for cataloguing, a combination of primary school star incentives (corrupted with pub visits for me), healthy competition and a dose of fun kicks off. Will it work? Only time will tell. Just know I have my work cut out fulfilling my quota because I ain't in as often as I'd like. Roll on the new LMS and I can work from anywhere on the planet.

Thursday - No Hammer?

Sally has a plan on the recruit front. It is a cunning plan and it might work. We go for it, it is much better than my plan. Send rejection letters, not a nce task. Pick up a most evil FoI request and despatch notification of reciept which is full of sweetness and light. Ring to arrange site visit to new library venue, leave message. Tracy hassles me to do these things which is fine. Tracy implements an element of plan B from planet 9 and gets immediate results. Things to do tomorrow. Ring SHA and speak to Pete. Chase SHA finance for response. Chase Ken Ryder - again. Catalogue. Shelve. PC Books.

Word from the Tracey Emin Library

Tired and emotional after the last 1-2-1 with Ad the Lad, perhaps not, but he is a top geezer. Now need to set up an equivilent with Peter West. Need to also cascade it downwards. Action plans a-go-go.

Recruit collapses into chaos. Leaves a couple of options. Readvertise, accept the current situation or scrap the whole deal. Personally I vote with the first option. We are beginning to make headway on the backlog and psychologically that keeps me on an even keel at a time that I'm generally not certain what day it is or where the hell I am. Staff pow-wow tomorrow then.

Days of noise and picking up some slack. News out so on top of that. Got bugger all else I needed to do sorted. Fingers crossed for tomorrow when the place will be full of happy library staff. Although I hear poor Christina hasn't been well. Positive vibes to send to her then.

Nother extra shift for Monst. Take-away for grub then. In sit down and out again no doubt.

Lost a post earlier. This is a temporary replacement.

Beer, footie and gig tickets it's all gotta go horribly wrong

Spend some time trying to sort out some hosting issues for some evaluation forms. See mail-to-blog is back to its flaky self. My last post has yet to arrive. What a suprise, so if it does and the whole Tracey Emin thing leaves you confused, don't be suprised. Just in case, send positive vibes to Christina who got ill at the residential. Shan if you look in, thanks for looking after her and getting her home. Listening to Arsenal v Bayern Munich. Still 0-0. Head goes back to the Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden where I bumped into a bunch of Bayern fans who gave Arsenal no chance in Europe. Nice people but I hope they're wrong. Anyway to them I raise a glass of Fullers Old Winter Ale. Allez les rouges. Now it's not,'Thierry Henry, Thierry Henry' etc. (Chorus of 1-0 to the Arsenal echoes round the house, they still need another and a clean sheet mind). 9 minutes to go right now and still 1-0. Last two minutes. Aaargh! 3 minutes of added time. Ends and it's out we go. Bugger, bugger, bugger. At least Liverpool are through. Pick up a ticket to see Le Tigre when I'm in the smoke next week. Civilised thing is I can pick the ticket up in Liverpool. Playing, what I still think of as the Town and Country Club that'll be the Forum to you young pups. Be interested to see what the audience is like. It was either that or sit in somewhere like the George drinking myself silly. From Librarian's Rant via the Librarian in Black I learn of the new Wallace and Gromit and it's site. Can't wait.

Words from the Tracey Emin Library

Library tour and the place gets compared to 'My Bed'. I launch into the Billy Childish and the Stuckists bit of blurb and people laugh etc. Cool. Running around like a loon and I grab a coffee and five minutes down time. Left LIS team need to set up a meeting with Peter West. Mo calls, we chat, I make a call and chat and let Mo I'll let her know. Confused? Me too! Librarian's Rant (hey, another Ranter but I suspect without the 17th Century Baggage I bring with me on the subject) via Librarian in Black leads me to news of the Wallace and Gromit Movie 'Curse of the Were-Rabbit'. Can't wait. Also leads me into this:

What "Happy Bunny" phrase are you? you bite big time You focus your life around food. You need to get out more.

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Ba ba ra ra cu cu da da

Prepare myself for the day ahead with the Barracudas. Noisy journey to Hammy House. Nice summery sounds of surf and garage with an undertone of menace.

Sign off out of the LIS team today. A happy home for the last few years. Corporate Services (Affairs?) Here we come.

Down Time

Grab an half an hour relaxation once I finally return home from dropping Monst at an unplanned shift at work. Left with firm instructions to tidy up downstairs. She ain't a happy bunny. Cal hits the bath. I have reward beer lined up. So twenty minutes left and I contemplate the other stuff I need to do for work after I finish the cleaning. Deep joy.

Lancashire-La-La-La, There is Only One Bernard Reidy

Health chiefs go public on MMR - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 07/03/05 PRESTON'S public health chiefs are leading the way in encouraging immunisation by having their 20-month-old son vaccinated with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab.

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Common sense has prevailed [Letter] - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 07/03/05 I WAS delighted to hear that the pharmacy staff from Darwen Health Centre will definitely be moving to the new building after winning their appeal.

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Probe into patient's death - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 07/03/05 A FATHER-OF-TWO who went missing from Blackpool Victoria Hospital in his dressing gown and slippers has been found dead in nearby allotments.

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Cash cure plan for hospitals - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 07/03/05 HOSPITAL chiefs fear it may take them up to three years to steer their accounts back into the black.

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Child's life was most important [Letter] - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 07/03/05 A WARNING to mothers: if you need to rush your child to hospital because he is choking on something, don't exceed the speed limit unless you are prepared to pay £60 plus £35 costs.

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Hospital car park security is poor [Letter] - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 04/03/05 I AM a nurse at Fairfield Hospital and am writing to express my anger and my concern about the lack of car park security there.

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Asbestos fear at hospital - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 04/03/05 HOSPITAL bosses are being forced to spend almost £300,000 after a survey revealed parts of Burnley General Hospital were riddled with dangerous asbestos.

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Health fear - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 04/03/05 RAW sewage pumped into an East Lancashire river during storms is destroying the environment and causing a major health problem, anglers claimed today.

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Getting a bit Mancy Round Here

Mother faces jail over cannabis 'tuck shop' - Manchester Evening News 07/03/05 A MOTHER who ran a family "tuck shop for drugs" in which she and her two sons peddled cannabis to schoolchildren was told today she could face jail.

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Body kept in morgue for three years - Manchester Evening News 08/03/05 THE body of an elderly woman has been left in a Manchester mortuary for three years because her son refuses to hold a funeral.

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Dentist crisis claim Liberal Democrats - Bury Times 07/03/05 DENTAL care is reaching crisis point as more dentists stop providing NHS treatment, say local Liberal Democrats.

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A new way to take your medicine - Bolton Evening News 07/03/05 FOR years there has been just one way to get a prescription - you go to the surgery, wait to see the doctor, come out with a piece of paper, head to the pharmacy and wait again while they prepare your medicine. It's a long-winded business that most of us - particularly the elderly and infirm, or busy parents - could do without. So you will be glad to hear that recent developments are now making the whole matter much easier and less time-consuming, especially for those with repeat prescriptions. Here Boots tell us how it can be done in three easy options

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More smokers say: We want to give up - Bolton Evening News 07/03/05 HEALTH chiefs believe they are winning the battle to stop people smoking.

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Children fail diet checks - Bolton Evening News 05/03/05 HALF the children tested in an area of Bolton were found to have iron deficiencies because of poor diets.

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Trust gets new vice chairman - Bolton Evening News 04/03/05 A VICE Chairman for the Bolton Hospitals Trust Board has been appointed. Michael Kilcoyne, a non-executive director, has taken up the role from February. The previous Vice Chairman, Eileen Lindley, retired in November.

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Top class home care service [Letter] - Bolton Evening News 04/03/05 I AM writing this letter to thank one body of workers who never seem to get a mention - the home care workers.

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Er... Mersey Bit of the News Stuffed here While I Finish...

Peggy never ceased caring - Crosby Herald 03/03/05 TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular Crosby charity worker who has died from cancer.

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Safety blitz proves success - Formby Times 03/03/05 NO car crashes have occurred on the A565 through Ince Blun-dell since new road safety measures were put in place.

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Chance to attend PCT meeting - Maghull & Aintree Star 03/03/05 SOUTH Sefton Primary Care Trust (PCT) will be holding a Public Board Meeting on Wednesday, March 9.

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Smokers tempted to give it up - Ormskirk Advertiser 03/03/05 A THIRD of West Lancashire ' s smokers will be attempting to give up the habit on No Smoking Day next Wednesday.

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Cleared doctor faces GMC probe - Ormskirk Advertiser 03/03/05 A DOCTOR who was cleared by a court of indecently assaulting 12 of his patients is being investigated by a medical watchdog.

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Trashing the ash! - Skelmersdale Advertiser 03/03/05 THE Concourse will announce a smoking ban on National No Smoking Day next Wednesday.

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Phone mast fears spark mass protest - Skelmersdale Advertiser 03/03/05 RESIDENTS are holding a public meeting to organise a protest against phone masts planned for Birch Green.

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Stubbing it out by 2008 - Skelmersdale Advertiser 03/03/05 BUSINESS leaders, health executives and council officials have taken the first step towards a smoke-free West Lancashire.

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'Please help our son' - Southport Visiter 04/03/05 A SOUTHPORT family is desperately raising funds to help their teenage son who is suffering from a rare, terminal disease.

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Hospital fines for cancelling surgery - Daily Post 07/03/05 HEALTH Secretary John Reid has confirmed that hospitals will effectively be fined for cancelling operations and failing to offer patients a new date for surgery.

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I gave up a kidney to save my wife's life - Chester Chronicle 04/03/05 RELAXING in their living room, Lorraine and Dave Crowley seem like any loving couple.

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Danger dye found in just one product - Weekly News 03/0/05 COMPANIES across Halton took swift action to check for contamination of products by the cancer causing dye Sudan 1 after the national alert.

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Sauce is safe, say fast food giants - Weekly News 03/03/05 BOSSES at McDonald's have reassured Halton residents that they have removed batches of contaminated barbecue sauce from sale.

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Honeymoon in a shack fixing children's teeth - Daily Post 07/03/05 SPENDING your honeymoon in a dentist's surgery is not most couple's idea of a romantic start to married life.

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Necrophilia among ducks ruffles research feathers

The strange case of the homosexual necrophiliac duck pushed out the boundaries of knowledge in a rather improbable way when it was recorded by Dutch researcher Kees Moeliker., the Gruaniad today. OK insanity moment over with, back to work.

Downer

A day when I reach for a to-do list, it was less polite than usual and nearly all got done. Tomorrow it happens all over again. Meanwhile we put in the business case for the new LMS. Big Bri OK's it job done. HCLU Residential over the next couple of days. So Sally, Tracy, Christina and Dave learn neotiating skills up in Lancaster. Meanwhile I swear at FoI. FoI requests bounce back responses from requestors. Nice to know they're reading the things but bits are unnecessary. When I say no you can't have it I don't mean yes you can! I'm on a downer.........

Jakey Ramblings: Apologies in Advance

I've hit the numb but aware of stuff around me stage of getting well and truly pissed. It's always a crossroads point. I could drink more and get roaring drunk or just call it a day now. I'm not that hacked off that I need to drink more. Spoke to Monst a few minutes ago and she's doing her best to rectify things (can't ask for more than that) and I've done my bit. Morning is in my mind so maybe I quit while I'm ahead. Lest you think I'm some jakey sod, I'd point out pissed is not a state I regulaly visit these days. No I left that in my student days. These day's I'm a responsible father like figure (yeah, right, bit occaisionally I do the paternalistic thang) and enjoy my beer in the manner of a connosuier. Only when nobody's watching will I drink myself to some state of oblivion. Gone are the student days when poteen and barley wine offered a quick route out of my head. As ever pissed off my head retuns to my Irish jaunt. A time when life seemed as complex as now but because I have the benefit of a few years on it I can pretend it was simpler. If only you could live in the aspic of the past. Instead I return to my dominant vew of history. today is crap, tomorrow will be crap and yesterday was almost certainly crap. Lest you think this is too optimistic rememeber that whenever is crap. Meanwhile on the news front I reach for the Tony Adams vibe, the Times is proving problematic.

Leaving, but never far enough

Swimming with Cal this morning. Delightful, entertaining and the nearest I'm gonna get to exercise. It relaxes me and we have a giggle. I deeply enjoy the whole thing. Post pool gig and we head to Speke. Excuse is food, reason is to get a copy of 'Burn the Maps' the new Frames album. I've fallen for them hook, line and sinker. Home via Sansbury's. Mothers Day, a great day for florists and those in the choccy trade, bad news for cocoa beans and flowers. We buy Monst a box of chocs, I ring home (not being one to celebrate these things fully - I've been known to mutter things about fucking Hallmark at this time of year) Cal takes over the phone again. Home and F1 has kicked off which means a reasonable afternoon's kip. Apologies to Ian, Al and Tacy but I find the hole thing soporific. Learn there is a prob with Monsts shifts and my trip to the Smoke. Think I sort it out but I'm drinking like a bastard right now because I'm hacked off. The old Czech lager because I'm not in the mood for proper beer and this is a compromise between proper beer (as in real ale) and shove it down yer froat muck. Wash Cal's hair which as ever is a struggle. Lovely music soothes my soul. From the lovely 'Fake' 'come on the guys a fake what do you love him for? and it was my mistake just kicking in his door and if it's just a game what are we crying for?' Well, we've all been there before! Will we ever learn? More to the point will I ever learn, pissed off and what might have beens never equal, this is now and what is.