Jobs and birthdays

Sissinghurst, June 2012

Another long, difficult week, with two colleagues still away and the added bonus of having a student with me for much of the time on the wards. A good student, which is so much better than a bad one, but still, it's a little bit of added pressure. Last week we made the considered decision that I would not be able to do a clinic while two of my colleagues were on leave, and there was only one patient left in that clinic by Tuesday who was seen by the Dietetic Manager. I have no idea why we did not make a similar decision this week given that the same constraints applied, and instead of one there were five patients that I had to see. But I am not complaining, oh no, I have a good job and some lovely colleagues and I cannot afford to get cross with it because I must continue to turn up for work every day for the foreseeable future. The unforeseeable future - now, that's a different story.

On  Wednesday I did another job application and didn't go to badminton, which always makes me slightly less cheerful. The interview for the first job I've applied for is looming, and I have to get my interview presentation ready for Thursday when it has to be emailed to the recruitment panel. I have very foolishly volunteered to do a CPD presentation to my colleagues all about how a new lot of equations are now favoured over the old lot of equations for estimating energy requirements, and it's on Wednesday and I haven't even started looking at the equations, let alone the evidence behind their use. I have no idea when I'll have time for this, let alone my tax return and various other important items of home-based administration.

On the other hand, Mr A and I celebrated our birthdays on Thursday with dinner at Queans, the local restaurant that gained such a great review from a celebrated newspaper restaurant critic. But directly before dinner I went to donate blood again, and after pricking one finger and finding my iron level was borderline they had to draw some blood to evaluate it a different way, and then said I was OK to donate. So I turned up at the restaurant with plasters everywhere, and then halfway through dinner I had a funny turn and had to put my head between my knees. Despite all this I thought it was a delightful dinner, and my duck breast was cooked to perfection. I'd definitely love to go there again, but Mr A was less impressed, perhaps because his expectations were higher and partly because he had to choose a vegetarian starter (I always underestimate his desire for animal flesh). I'm wondering whether it's worth carrying on donating blood, but perhaps will do so in future only when no other activities are planned for the hours to follow.

It seems incredibly dense, but I have only just realised why it has been difficult to maintain the frequency of my blog posting. When I started the first, student blog, I had already left work to do the degree. It is only since starting this blog that I have been working full time. Naturally there are fewer hours for leisure now that I am occupied all through the day. I don't know why it's taken me this long to cotton on.