Lecturer Lola

Rio de Janeiro, April 2019

My ex-colleague who was the last-but-one Diabetes Dietitian Team Leader now works for a University offering a Masters postgraduate course in Diabetes-related stuff (I think it probably has a better name than that). She asked me if I would deliver part of one of their modules, all about insulin pump therapy. My bit would obviously be about diet and pumps, and it sounded interesting and within my capabilities, so I said yes.

She had already told me that the previous person who delivered this bit of the module was far too technical and the students were completely baffled, and when she sent the materials from that session I had to agree. Part of it was the same as the course I attended a few years ago that resulted in one of my most technical blog posts ever, and I wasn't even sure I understood it all. Another part of it was the same as another course I attended which produced another fiendishly complicated blog post.  To offer that to a group who are just getting to grips with the basics of pump therapy was pretty inappropriate.

So I started from scratch and created three hours of material at a basic level to cover three areas: what happens to your blood glucose when you eat and drink, how best to use the features of an insulin pump to deal with that, and what the pump can do for you when you exercise. It has taken up pretty much all of my free time in the last two weeks, but I was pleased with what I came up with, which included interaction and activities that I hoped would keep everyone awake and interested.

While I was doing that there was the distraction of having to go to work for two days each week, which also entailed supervising two different dietetic students on their final placements for their degree course. I had a pretty poor experience in two out of three of my placements, which makes me a terrible supervisor because there's no way I would put anyone through that. But I had to do extra hours and I had less time to do my own work. And there was quite a serious incident with a colleague that has led to me having to refer a complaint up to the Dietetic Manager (seeing as we don't have a replacement Diabetes Dietitian Team Leader since the last one left). So work isn't my favourite place at the moment.

As well as Monday and Thursday badminton and the regular Tuesday Buddhism and a film accompanied by live music on Wednesday (in a Leamington venue called Temperance that is rapidly becoming a favourite) and a trip to see mum and dad, I went away for another weekend retreat where I met lots of lovely Buddhists who restored my faith in humanity. One of the people leading the retreat was the man who played a part in setting up many of the small local groups, including ours in Leamington (known for historical reasons as the Warwick group). He was happy to spend some time with me so I could pick his brains for ideas about nourishing and sustaining our group, attracting more members and generating both enthusiasm and funding. I have come back with ideas spilling out everywhere and nowhere to put them. My pleas for a Warwick group team meeting have so far come to nothing.

So yesterday I finally delivered the material I'd created to a group of nine students, including three from the Middle and Far East and two podiatrists as well as local doctors and nurses. I actually thought it was the most successful teaching session I've ever done. The activities I planned went really well, several times people asked questions which were answered in the very next section, and the timing was perfect. Unfortunately, back when I was asked to do it I was told that this was the last time the module would be delivered as they are updating and changing the course, but when the new course is ready maybe there will be something similar, and maybe they will think of me.

Rio de Janeiro, April 2019

Water and mud

November 2019

Last week we endured lashing rain, which caused flooding in more unfortunate parts of the country. Here it only caused my Thursday badminton to be cancelled because the roads around the school were impassable. But on Wednesday it started to rain inside the kitchen again.

This has happened before. The dripping came from around the roof light, so when I phoned Ulf the builder the first time he sent Doors and Windows Ulf round, who couldn't find anything obvious but added some sealant. It happened a second time, and even though Doors and Windows Ulf came round again, he declared it wasn't his problem and it stopped raining so the dripping had stopped. At that time I hadn't worked out how to connect my hosepipe to the outside tap (don't ask) so I just left it. One can only worry about a certain number of things at a time.

This rainstorm was different. The dripping came from the edge of the roof light again, but this time the flow was faster and it was clear from staining on the ceiling that the roof light wasn't the problem. I contacted Ulf and he sent Son of Ulf and his mate to see what was going on. They arrived looking as though they had been swimming - they had been working outside - and finally agreed that the problem must be their responsibility. Those poor boys spent another hour on the roof. I offered them refuge inside and a hot drink, but they refused despite their teeth actually chattering as they spoke. They have added some more sealant - I must get up there and have a look some time - and I must also get back in touch to see where we go from here. Wait for another rainstorm, or play a hose on it and see what happens? (I have very recently worked out how to connect my hosepipe to the outside tap - still don't ask.)

Random Run Forest Runner

In other (slightly) weather-related news, I went along with Lola II and Mr M to support Run Forest Run, the 10k run + obstacle course event that is staged by our friends in Surrey. Highlights included the family friend (with the lovely photogenic dog pictured above) who I would like to adopt as my son (the friend not the dog - although I wouldn't rule out the option of the dog not the friend), Lola II being given a flashing yellow light to put on the top of her car (her life is now complete), and the returning runners who told me (as I supervised the kitchen activities producing hot drinks, cake and bacon butties) that it was the most fun event they had ever participated in.

Roofers

Clf 1 starting work, November 2019

Well, what do you know, the day after I wrote the last post about the roofing situation, Clf phoned to say that as long as it didn't rain he could come and do the job the very next day, which was a Friday. And he actually turned up when he said he would, accompanied by Clf 2. Their distinguishing characteristic turned out to be that between them they consumed more tea and coffee than any tradesmen I've hosted so far, and they provided not only advice about additional work that I might consider, but also useful 'feedback' about previous tradesmen.

First of all we had to effect an entrance into the pub garden, which was locked. I managed to get hold of the cleaner and she let us in, so first obstacle surmounted. During this exercise I was appraised of much that I had missed in the pub situation seeing as how I don't really drink there any more. The man that I thought was the landlord (and is still on the Warwick District Council website as licensee) left quite some time ago, and also departed was the manager who had promised me a free meal after the chef refused to serve me and three friends in September (it's a long story - the pub has been short of a chef for some time and was using agency staff, and this one was a dud). I was given two other names of the people who were now in charge, so I kept dropping in to try and talk to one of them but neither appeared, although the previous landlord was in there having a drink.

Anyway, Clfs 1 and 2 proceeded to start taking off the tiles, revealing the full horror of the situation. Throughout the morning with each cup of tea or coffee (and there were many) I was treated to all sorts of technical details of the roofing business followed by how my house demonstrated the opposite of what ought to be there. The skylight windows (already installed when I bought the house), the replacement membrane installed by Elf five years ago* and the roof itself were all wrong and I was shown many and various faults demonstrating the incompetency of the historical tradesmen. I was even required to climb their ladder at one point so I could see the pooled water, the incorrectly installed skylight, the wrongly overlapping tiles and the three-quarter inch steel nails ("STEEL NAILS!!!"). I demonstrated as much surprise and dismay as I thought were appropriate, while asking "But can you fix it?" and expressed grateful thanks when they said they could.

They managed to get half the job done that day and returned the following day (Saturday) to finish, but unfortunately it was frosty and too slippery for their ladders on the wooden decking, plus the tiles would be stuck to each other with the ice, and it was scheduled to rain (which it duly did). That day I managed to catch one of the named pub managers to negotiate an early entry to the garden for the next day, and while denying that he was in any way in charge he did let me have a key for the next morning. I shall have to make further enquiries about who is really running the show.

So the Clfs came back on Sunday and had even more trouble with the second (incorrectly installed) skylight, but managed to finish the job in a bit more than half a day. Clf was going to stick to his original estimate but I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I hadn't given him a bit more. Plus, I want him to come back to replace the skylights, and Clf 2 is a plasterer, bricklayer and builder so I may have found a replacement for Olf. And the roof, even to my untrained eye, looks lovely now.

* In my report at the time I imagined that Elf might become my handyman and slave, but in fact I didn't much like working with him and this prestigious role went to the sainted Ilf, who is much less annoying and generally useful but is rubbish at wallpapering (not that he would admit it). With the hindsight provided by this job it is probably a good thing that I didn't persist with Elf.

Clfs 1 and 2

Tales of the LTRP: Part 285

Cathedral, Rio de Janeiro, April 2019

I have been trying to get a plumber to come round and advise or quote on the shower renovation. I've tried three: one didn't get back to me at all, while the second failed to arrive at the scheduled time, letting me know the following day that he'd dropped his phone in a bath of water so couldn't retrieve my address or phone number. We rescheduled, and he let me know that he was running late, and I said that was fine, and I have neither seen nor heard from him since.

Third time lucky, and the next set of plumbers I tried actually turned up. They are the same bunch that service my boiler, and have always been prompt, helpful and polite (except they were six hours late, but at least they phoned to let me know). As with any tradesman who ventures through the gates of Lola Towers, I asked them for their opinion on the blossoming damp patches on the wall adjacent to the pub, and they were kind enough to have a look, and came up with the most plausible explanation I have received so far, even if it probably isn't the right answer. I'm still waiting for the quote.

This prompted me to do what I should have done from the start: engage a proper roofer to come and have a look. He only defaulted on one visit (grandmother had a fall), and was black as soot when he arrived from his previous job with a fresh gash on his forehead where he'd hit himself with his van door. In his short visit I learned an awful lot about him and his life, but also that Elf (who had been the last one to tamper with the roof in question, in 2015) had used a non-permeable rubber material that is intended for flat roofs. My new roofer friend (I think we've reached Clf in the naming convention) diagnosed that condensation was accumulating underneath the rubber membrane and running down the brickwork, which is a possibility, I suppose. The quote wasn't excessive so with luck that job will be done in the next couple of months, and maybe the damp will even be cured. I'm not counting my chickens yet.

There's been plenty of other stuff going on, and I'm definitely busier now than I was when I was working four days instead of two. I think it's because I'm not putting anything off like I used to, when I needed to keep a few weekends free to avoid madness. I have had commitments every weekend since mid-August and up to the week before Christmas, and I couldn't have done that while I was working more days. For example, last Saturday I went to my music group on Saturday and down to London for mum's birthday on Sunday, with a concert on Sunday evening back home. I tried to fit in the Kenilworth fireworks display on Saturday night as well, but couldn't do it in the end.