Today has been...

An OH MY GOD day...

First.. this arrived. A big box.

Filled with two more Boxes.

A front wheel

and a rear wheel.

a view of the inside of the rim... no spokes to be seen. Glorious.

And so.. there I was enjoying the moment when an email arrives from my Manager.

Hi Tony,

I have an urgent request. Please call me so we can discuss the details.

Kind regards

H.

So, i called him straight away.. thinking, here we go another day off and he wants me to cover a shift. (Sigh)

"Can you come here now?"

Yes give me ten minutes.. so another 10 minutes to admire the new wheels and I have a ride round to work.

get there and.. its not covering a shift. Its not running an errand.

One of the guys we look after has a holiday booked.. and the staff member who was all set to go with him has had to cancel.. and so, Friday Morning 7am a taxi will be coming to collect me to take me to EMA and a flight to TENERIFE for a week. Nothing like short notice. So... run back home to call the dog minder and arrange collection for tomorrow night. That sorted and Im off.. I dont know exactly where we are going. all I know is its Tenerife. 7 nights. All inclusive. and has cost £2,400

Biggest plus is that I will be paid for it. each day a normal work day plus the sleep-in allowance for every night. And some cash for myself each day.. not sure how much.

Weather is set to be mid 20s all week..

Today started so normally.. a bit of a lie in. and thinking about the new wheels arriving, wondering about tubeless tyres.. and when to get them swapped over.Perhaps a ride out in the afternoon.. you know? Normal life.

and then THIS happens.

I am considerably NOT EVEN REMOTELY CALM AT THE MOMENT.

enjoy

Haha have a good time slaving away at work.

Well you can just sod right off

Better go buy a lottery ticket!

I think you should pay them for the privilege

Enjoy the break.

20 degrees all week. How’s this person you’re going with at riding pillion?

I think I need a new job......

and I bet you never gave the new wheels a second thought

Considerably better than my day then, which consisted of a long battle down the M6 to spend the afternoon sitting in the acute care ward of Stoke hospital with my mother, who was rushed in yesterday by ambulance with a suspected heart attack, and then a 3-hour slog home through the rush hour traffic.

Considerably better than my day then, which consisted of a long battle down the M6 to spend the afternoon sitting in the acute care ward of Stoke hospital with my mother, who was rushed in yesterday by ambulance with a suspected heart attack, and then a 3-hour slog home through the rush hour traffic.

Sounds like you have had a day of it mate, hope she makes a full and quick recovery mate

I have had a day of work and 237 parcels picked up in 5 hours

Just got the details sent to me.. so now I know where Im going.

its a 4 star hotel in Costa Adeje.. on the south west of Tenerife. 2 rooms have been booked. and the cost was £2,758.

https://www.jet2holidays.com/canary-islands/tenerife/costa-adeje/gf-fanabe

Right now.. Im far too freaked out to be excited. In fact i just want to lie down in a darkened room and listen to Enya (on repeat)

and I bet you never gave the new wheels a second thought

believe it or not.. and you probably wont. I would rather not go. stay here and book the bike in next week for the swap. The fella I am going with is highly "complex" and I have no doubt will be hard work. I will have to keep a daily diary. account for every penny he spends - receipts for everything. Ensure he takes his meds (mainly anti-psychotics) every day... and generally keep him safe. The upside is.. he is unlikely to display his 'behaviours' in a place that is so far outside his comfort zone. He has never been abroad in his life. And obviously has never been on a plane.

One major plus.. he sleeps like a baby and likes his sleep. 7-7 as a rule. Also.. and this is likely why Im the one having to go with him, I like him a lot, because despite all his issues underneath is a very nice man. same age as me. And.. I know how to deal with him.

I feel.. that once he is tucked up in bed i shall be availing myself at the bar... hope they do decent beer!!

This free holiday ... sounds like a trap of some sort , the other member of staff Sussed it, that's why he made his excuses about going .

I reckon there is going to be a big black bloke with a dick like a babies arm holding a Jaffa orange waiting for you .

Just got the details sent to me.. so now I know where Im going.

its a 4 star hotel in Costa Adeje.. on the south west of Tenerife. 2 rooms have been booked. and the cost was £2,758.

https://www.jet2holidays.com/canary-islands/tenerife/costa-adeje/gf-fanabe

Right now.. Im far too freaked out to be excited. In fact i just want to lie down in a darkened room and listen to Enya (on repeat)

 

and I bet you never gave the new wheels a second thought

 

believe it or not.. and you probably wont. I would rather not go. stay here and book the bike in next week for the swap. The fella I am going with is highly "complex" and I have no doubt will be hard work. I will have to keep a daily diary. account for every penny he spends - receipts for everything. Ensure he takes his meds (mainly anti-psychotics) every day... and generally keep him safe. The upside is.. he is unlikely to display his 'behaviours' in a place that is so far outside his comfort zone. He has never been abroad in his life. And obviously has never been on a plane.

One major plus.. he sleeps like a baby and likes his sleep. 7-7 as a rule. Also.. and this is likely why Im the one having to go with him, I like him a lot, because despite all his issues underneath is a very nice man. same age as me. And.. I know how to deal with him.

I feel.. that once he is tucked up in bed i shall be availing myself at the bar... hope they do decent beer!!

Ohh so you are a carer? I have been in that line of work and while it was on the most part rewarding I don't wish to be going back to that kind of work

Eeeek. Starting to sound and look a little like an episode of Benidorm

I’m sure it’ll all pan out fine but if it turns into something more eventful than desired it’ll be an experience you’ll remember (and eventually laugh about) for the rest of your life!

The very best of luck.

It'll be fine.

Ive already told the manager that I will be wanting time off when I get back and he was fine with that. i"ll take the iPad with me and make use of the free wi-fi.

Considerably better than my day then, which consisted of a long battle down the M6 to spend the afternoon sitting in the acute care ward of Stoke hospital with my mother, who was rushed in yesterday by ambulance with a suspected heart attack, and then a 3-hour slog home through the rush hour traffic.

 

Sounds like you have had a day of it mate, hope she makes a full and quick recovery mate

I'm sure she will make a full recovery, if only to spite me. To paraphrase Churchill, she may have been ready to meet her maker, but He clearly wasn't ready for the challenge of meeting her.

Sounds like fun! The wheels will still be there when you get back.

I'm rather less freaked out by it all now. Case is packed and Im enjoying a mug of coffee before getting dressed and then closing the house down. Taxi picking me up at 06:20 to take me to the Project.. and then another taxi is ordered for 07:00 to take us to EMA. Flight at 10:30

I'll breathe easier once we are on the plane.

Flying in to the southern airport which is just 15 minutes from the resort, arrival is at about 14:40.

Hotel looks rather nice. 4* https://gfhoteles.com/en/hotel/hotel-fanabe-costa-sur/

Anyway.. Im taking the iPad.. so wont be off the grid, Hotel has free wifi. I don't do 'selfies' you'll be pleased to hear.. and I need to be discreet, so no photos of the fella Im escorting. no pictures apart from tedious views. and glasses of beer.

26c tomorrow and 20c the rest of the week.. not wall to wall sunshine. but still better than here.

Im borderline excited now.

Time to get dressed.

TTFN

Hop it all goes smoothly and it’s just easy overtime in a warmer place.

I need to be discreet, so no photos of the fella Im escorting.

TTFN

If I recall correctly you said it was his first holiday. I sincerely hope he enjoys himself

TTFN

 

If I recall correctly you said it was his first holiday. I sincerely hope he enjoys himself

We're at the airport waiting to be called.

Yes, he has never been abroad before or on a plane, I've just given him a Valium to calm him down, he's excited but not scared. It'll be fine. He's had something to eat and drink and is currently watching flights departing and trying to guess which plane is ours.

TTFN

 

If I recall correctly you said it was his first holiday. I sincerely hope he enjoys himself

We're at the airport waiting to be called.

Yes, he has never been abroad before or on a plane, I've just given him a Valium to calm him down, he's excited but not scared. It'll be fine. He's had something to eat and drink and is currently watching flights departing and trying to guess which plane is ours.