This week I had a wistful moment. Some tech guys were sat at a till with some equipment in pieces, and they were using a very snazzy-looking laptop to run some tests. I passed them a few times, picking orders, and kept trying to see what they were doing. I didn’t do much of that in my university post, however I did some technical fault-finding when I worked on a Help Desk. I’m not sure I could do it now, not sure I have the patience let alone the know-how, but it did remind me of happy times taking the cover off any new PC’s that we had for staff. My colleague and I would always remove the casing of any new kit and have a good look around the inside familiarising ourselves with the new kit in readiness for potential failures. Each time, our manager would say: I wish you two wouldn’t do that, though it never stopped us lol. I also used to peer over the shoulders of the on-site IBM engineer whenever he opened-up panels on our mainframe. I loved all the circuitry, the flashing lights, just the power of the thing. I would have loved to study engineering, though back then it was practically unheard of for a woman to do that kind of work, and we certainly didn’t have the money for the kind of further education I would have needed.

So far this month I’ve worked about 18 hours extra. I was asked to stay on today, but I declined, stating I’d already worked an extra 6 hours this week; I worked an extra shift on Monday. The supervisor said it was okay, and she proceeded to ask others. Later, one of the colleagues who seems overly obsessed with my work pattern, asked what time I was leaving. I stated I was leaving at the usual time. Oh, she says, you can’t stay on today? I advised her that I’d already worked extra this week, worked an extra shift last week, I’m shattered, I’m old by the way, and that my work pattern was none of her business. Ok, you know me too well: I thought the above, but my mouth merely said: No. She agrees to any and all overtime, then proceeds to complain to the rest of us that it’s not fair that she works so many hours. I’ve told her, more than once, that she can say no though personally, I think she likes having something to complain about. To each their own. I work my agreed contractual hours, work overtime if it suits me, or politely decline if it doesn’t. I have sometimes done extra hours when I didn’t really want to, just to show willing, but I won’t be guilted into extra hours just because some colleagues won’t say no.

I’m just over a third of the way through my new eye medication, and my left eye has improved dramatically. I’m ‘down’ to 11 times a day now and it is tedious though I know I must continue until my hospital follow-up. Leaving the shop floor 2 or 3 times a shift is a drag though my supervisors do know that I have eye drops that I must use at frequent intervals.

Other than that, not a whole lot going on here. I’ve not spoken to my sister in almost 2 weeks; she’s been annoying me. Not done much except work. Not sleeping enough. Not reading the news too often. Looking forward to a week off soon, though it’s not like I can go anywhere or do much. If we weren’t in this d*mn lockdown, I’d have liked to visit my friend in South Wales, and maybe even my kid sister though where I’d stay would be a challenge, I certainly won’t stay with any family – too many animals! Still, we are, not changing any time soon, and travel is out of the question unless you’re the PM – travelling to Scotland, or the G7 summit who are planning to attend in Cornwall. Makes no sense to me, when they could just as easily use video conferencing. But like I’ve said before: one rule for us…

Have a good weekend. Stay safe. Mind the rain/snow/floods/ice/wind. Delete as appropriate lol.