1st - 14th June 2012 - D'an South and Oop North.

Again I've left it to long and my daily memories are bunched and confused in time...

Went to Filey for a long weekend, Haven caravan holiday with the family, it was fun, the weather was terrible though, not as bad as it was in Wales where it flooded. How much must it have to rain in Wales to flood there!? Got myself a new rain jacket, I've needed one for years and some new trainers as I was wearing suede red ones my daughters refer to as "ruby slippers" which the wet weekend would no doubt ruin. You may think a rain jacket and trainers aren't mention worthy but for me this was a flamboyant extravagance. As it was we were blessed with a single, half-sunny day that we could go to the beach on. We started watching Euro 2012 which has been entertaining, always nice to have a bit of football available and my youngest two girls are still showing a bit of interest after their recent visits to Villa Park.

As they get older the differences between my two youngest daughters seems to widen, my youngest daughter is terrified of water after my mother-in-law tried to drown her.... Well she didn't try, that is melodromatic, she let her go under the water and we fear it's sparked a life-long phobia, my 4 year old daughter actively adores the water, I have a feeling that if the sea hadn't been painfully, freezing cold she probably would have just swam away in it to live as a mermaid, my youngest daughter opted to build sandcastles and avoid Davey Jones' locker at all costs.


The weekend before we went to London for the wedding of one of my wife's old uni friends. She was marrying into jainism, I'd never heard of jainists before but I don't like Janye Torvill or Jane Austen much so I could half undertstand why you'd set up a hate group against them, turns out it's more of a Hindu offshoot though. The service was well explained throughout and it was intriguing to see the see the differences and similarities between a Hindu and Christian wedding cermony. My wife braved a fair bit of asian food which was brave considering she has a known aversion to any foodstuff spicier than milk. It's funny really, I will occasionally have the odd curry now and again from the canteen at work but I would never choose to eat indian take-out or at a restaurant, with it's popularity in english culture it always strikes me as amazing that my wife and I found each other, two people who would never dream of dragging the other out for an indian.

Whilst we were in London (stopping at my wife's sister and her boyfriend's house) we took in the sights of London for the Jubilee, my 4 year old had an interest in all things royal family thanks to the jubilee focus at her school. We took her to "the Queens house" which unfortunately was heavily barricaded due to them setting up her concert (the Queen didn't perform at the concert, I bet she could do a mean Bohemian Rhapsody though). Sister in Law then took us to Hyde Park for a Jubilee show which ended in a large Disney performance, I don't know what Disney has to do with the Queen reigning for 60 years but the kids loved it.

After being given so many bank holidays with Prince Will's wedding and the Queen's Jubilee I have a new found appreciation for the royal family, almost as much as my two youngest daughters who at any given time have been recently bursting out with "Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the waves Britain will neeeeeeever be slaves" and the first verse of "God Save the Queen" (my house sounds like an EDL rally!) to be fair I'd be happy for them to just take control of the country (the royal family, NOT the EDL) God knows the illusion of choice between three toffs with a lust for power who promise the World and deliver despair doesn't work.

I have finally been given my freedom date from Amistad, 6th of July, giving me a start date of 9th of July with MI5 that's all confirmed and set to go, had a phone call from them to tell me they's made an error and will be paying me more - bonus!


When I intitially applied for the job it was for less than what I'm currently paid, when the contract was offered to sign it matched my current wage, now I'll be paid slightly more.

The guy I had backed/ recommended and traded e-mails with a month with failed to get the job, I was gutted for him, it was a close race between him and the "winner" apparently. No-one did particularly well in the database I set up, funny as I had made it easier than the one I faced for MI5, maybe I'm better than I thought.

The new guy starts next Monday (18th June), I am to train him and stand in boss Righty quietly (I wouldn't have even thought he was capable of being quiet before this) said "I know it's a bit insulting as you're leaving because of your hours but do you fancy working 8-4 to train the new guy" I laughed to myself as I said I would need to speak to my wife about our arrangements in the mornings if suddenly I was back at work, he grumbled understandings and said I could work whatever I liked.

It turned out 8-4 was fine for me so I agreed so I'm back in a bustling work environment rather than the evening solitary confinement and missing my kids I had been consigned to.

It strikes me as odd that someone is leaving as disgruntled as I am with working here should be responsible for training someone entering the new job with enthusiasm. There's every potential that at best I'll be half-hearted and at worst poisonous with a will for him to fail. I am professional I guess and I do like teaching people things so that will be in his favour. Righty has said "teach him everything you know" ... "yes" I thought "because after working in a role for 5 years, and applying a degree as well as other job specific qualifications to it I will be able to transfer this knowledge to some fresh face who can't manage to pass basic excel and access tests in 3 weeks, especially for a company I now despise, I might just give him my car as well, why not?" rather than articulate this thought I just replied no problem.

I've begun to genuinely hope the company fails, it's a horrible, bitter feeling but to be honest anyone I care about here (which is virtually no one) would have no problem doing the job elsewhere.