Sat, Feb 28th

Thank God today was the last day of the month. We had a little bit of a lie in before doing the weekly grocery shopping at Tesco. We then dropped into town to pick up a few odds and ends and stopped in Starbucks for a coffee.

Back at the house we took things easy for a change. Dawn did some of her weekend chores and I had a look at Dawn's environmental paperwork for her.

I think that after the month we've had so far we both just wanted to see it out. However, we were both feeling a little guilty that neither of us really got stuck into the list of objectives we had set out for ourselves.

Dad is still in the Whittington. No real change at the moment.

We ended the day watching the start of There Will Be Blood. However, it was too long for us to watch in one sitting before our bedtime.

Fri, Feb 27th

Today I took half a day off work and drove over to the Whittington Hospital from Enfield to visit Dad. He was surprised to see me, but pleased. As I walked in he was being wheeled to x-ray to have a scan done on his kidneys.

I was surprised to see how rough Dad looked. He had difficult breathing and his hands were shaking. But then again he did have a lung infection. An oxygen tank and nebulizer were helping him to breathe. However, that was the cause of the shaking, too. George turned up a little later, so it was good to see him too.

Later on George called to say that Dad had been moved to a different ward and that he had had a scan on his chest after I had left.

Thur, Feb 26th

Dad is still in hospital. I tried several times to contact him on his cell phone, but it was always turned off. Eventually I got hold of George at the flat and he had disturbing news. Dad now had a chest infection to worry about. This is what happened the last time he went into hospital. He had one symptom and ended up with a couple of others before he was discharged. However, I am not complaining. I'd rather have the NHS than a payment only system like in the US.

Wed, Feb 25th

Again, I tried to call Dad on his cell phone with no joy. Eventually I got hold of George at the flat around lunch time. He'd been up the hospital in the morning and at the moment Dad hopes to be home tomorrow or Friday. George did add that Dad was bored out of his mind and not at all worried. Dad had said the same things when I spoke to him yesterday morning.

You will be pleased to know that we arrived home safely tonight and are counting down the days to March one by one.

Tues, Feb 24th

Update on Dad. Dad called me at work around 8:15am. However, there was very little he could tell me as he was still waiting to see the doctor. He added the reason for last night's delay in admitting him was down to the doctor being too busy with emergencies. It made me feel a little better that he wasn't in that category.

I called my brother Phillip at work and again after talking to George when I got home this evening. I couldn't get hold of Dad on his cell phone. George said that they were keeping Dad in for another day to see how things went. At least he would be up there for Wednesday morning. It'll save him getting a cab for his other scheduled appointment.

Mon, Feb 23rd

Dawn and I survived another day at work. However, tonight as we sat relaxing in front of the television, this month took yet another twist. We got a call from Dad, on the cell phone we gave him last year, to inform us that he was at the Whittington Hospital. He had called for an ambulance a little after lunch and spent the rest of the day waiting for the doctor to decide whether he should stay overnight or not. They did carry out various tests, but it wasn't until shortly before midnight that they made a decision. My brother George didn't get home (alone) until the early hours. At least Dad is in the best place should there be a problem. Hopefully it's just a precaution.

I hate to keep going on about this. But we can't wait to see out the next five days and get to March. What else are we going to have to contend with this month?

Sun, Feb 22nd

Woke up around 7am and popped down to the newsagent to get Dawn the Sunday Times and Observer newspapers. Then with Tiny stretched between her and the fire, Dawn read them while I watched a recording of Stargate Atlantis.

Again we had our usual Sunday morning feast of potato waffle, mushrooms, fried egg and baked beans before grabbing a quick shower and making our way to Dad's on the train stopping on the way at Nandos for a chicken pitta.

Dad then gave us the wonderful news that he had been up the Royal Free Hospital yesterday. He woke up with chest pains and called for an ambulance. However, after several tests they sent him home. Although it did take the best part of the day. At least we can count our blessings that he was okay and was able to go home again.

Sat, Feb 21st

It's the weekend at last - Hurrah!

Dawn and I did the weekly grocery shopping at Tesco, and after taking the shopping home popped into town to do the rest. Dawn needed a new watch battery and we had a look in Oxfam for some secondhand books, too. Best of all was being able to take time out in Starbucks and relax a little with a skinny cappuccino. However, Dawn didn't relax as much as I did as the screams and crying from the little rug rats really got to her.

Back at the house Dawn then did some of the Sunday chores as we plan to visit Dad on Sunday because Arsenal were playing at home today and we all know Dawn can't stand the crowds. Back at the house we had a home-made South Beach pizza (pitta bread with tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes, anchovies and cheese) for lunch.

Dawn had her weekly video call with Brady, again because we would be out on Sunday, before I made a bowl of mussels in a white wine sauce. Boy was it good. We saw the day out watching the film The Nanny Diaries.

Fri, Feb 20th

The last day of a crazy week. Emailed some important forms off, and got the deposit for our holiday in the mail, too. We also made it home without any more mishaps. Oh yea, three things to be thankful for. One is that I finally got back down to 13 stone again. Two, that we had £50 in our bank account to pay the deposit on our holiday after being on a four day week all last month. And, three, IT'S FRIDAY................................

Thur, Feb 19th

Today I had my environmental manager hat on as I had to attend the Quality Meeting at work. It went well, I think. I gave everyone an update on the ISO 14001 work. And, was even able to tell everyone how much energy we waste on leaving lights on when they aren't needed. However, I don't think the message got through. An hour after the meeting closed, I passed the boardroom and found that no one had bothered to turn the lights off. According to my audit, there were eight light fittings containing four 36w light bulbs in each, and four wall lights, too. Perhaps when I complete my IEMA assignment question where I need to summarise the environmental challenge faced by industry today, I should write that management and employees need to learn how to listen. Better still, learn how to care.........

Wed, Feb 18th

Finally a couple of things went our way today. Hopefully this means that the bad luck that has been filtering through this month has now run its course. The first thing that we can be thankful for is that we found a cottage in Hayle, Cornwall that takes pets so we can go on holiday this year with Tiny. We haven't been away since we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in Scotland two years ago, so we are really looking forward to this.

The other thing that went our way was that we had broadband working again when we got home from work this evening. It's amazing how we have become dependent on the Internet and the immediate availability of information at our fingertips.

Tues, Feb 17th

More bad news today. Dawn found out that CU's Fairtrade application had been turned down. Why should we be surprised? It's February. What can go wrong will. Thankfully neither one of us have any speeding fines hanging over us. If we had, we would probably be found guilty of murder!!!

As for the broadband, it's still not working.

Mon, Feb 16th

Woke up this morning and again another February surprise. We had no broadband, so we couldn't check the Internet or send and receive emails. Great! Thankfully we were able to check our emails at work. Otherwise I may have missed receiving an important email telling us that we had won the National Lottery, or that I had been offered a job interview for a position of environment officer. Sadly no such email came. The latter had no chance anyway as I haven't applied for any jobs as environment officer. However, if anyone reading this blog knows of an opening that they might to like me to fill, by all means drop me a line. Oh yea, tonight when we got home I spent an hour and a half on the telephone with BT finding out that we had an external fault on the line. I had already worked that one out for myself. What I hadn't deduced was that it would take about 48 hours to fix it.

Sun, Feb 15th

After an enjoyable Valentine's Day, we enjoyed Sunday at home. Dawn did do some chores as usual and I also spent some time in the kitchen cooking a nice large pot of beef stew. However, it was a lot better than going to work or exposing ourselves to the chilly conditions outside. Although I have to concede that there was no ice on the cars when we woke up this morning.

Dawn also had a successful video call with Brady today, too. This must have been the first the two had had in almost a month.

Otherwise there was very little else to report today. Don't forget to keep an eye on our blog though. I am sure that if the first two weeks are anything to go by, the rest of the month still has some fireworks in store.

Sat, Feb 14th

Valentine's Day started with Dawn and me exchanging cards before I did the grocery shopping on my own. I then dropped the car off again to get repaired and hopefully pass its MOT. I then walked all the way home again and headed back to town almost straight away with Dawn to drop a couple books off at the Oxfam shop and grab a coffee at Starbucks while we waited for the car to be done. Thankfully when we arrived at the service station we got the thumbs up. The owner was happy too as he charged our credit card for the cost of the repair.

We then drove over to the Tilbury at Datchworth for a Valentine's Day lunch. Luck was again on our side as we got the last available table. We both chose the onion soup for starters. Dawn followed that with a bowl of mussels and I had some beer battered fish and chips. Dawn also had her first glass of wine this year. WELL DONE.....

Stevenage followed where we picked up Tiny's litter and then headed off home to enjoy the rest of Valentine's Day in front of a nice fire.

Fri, Feb 13th

Friday the thirteenth and I am glad to say that no more snow had fallen overnight and we were able to leave for work as usual. However, with the temperatures still a few degrees below freezing, we decided to park the car in West Street and walk over half the way to Hertford North Station.

At work, my boss and his boss were out of the office today so I was able to concentrate on environmental stuff again. However, while the cat's away, the mice will play. So, I had to put with the mouse who got on my nerves again today, including listen to him telling everyone that the dust from the GE building that was being demolished was probably polluting the local environment with asbestos. God give me strength. For those who remember the GE building in Enfield, I've taken a few more photos. Above is probably the last you'll ever see of the main building. This time next week it will be gone.....

Thur, Feb 12th

A few weeks ago I wrote that I was glad January was over. However, following the first 11 days of this month, I am not looking forward to March. Tonight just added to that wish. Leaving from work snow once again started falling and by the time we went to bed tonight there was more than a light dusting of snow everywhere we could see from the window. It looked like it was a couple of inches deep in places. We just dreaded what we'd wake up to in the morning. What a week, so far..............

Wed, Feb 11th

I dropped Dawn off at the station as I was working at home today. Following the problem getting the car MOT'd last Friday, I booked the car into a local service station for today. However, that too didn't go as planned. I dropped the car off at 9.15am fully expecting to pick it up an hour or so later with the pass certificate. However, when I arrived back to collect the car, I was informed that it had failed because of suspension problems on the nearside. This is the side of the car that we normally park on the pavement outside the house. I immediately decided that in future I would park opposite the house just in case this had done the damage. Our pocket also had damage. The repairs required so that it could pass its test would be around £150.

I spent the rest of the day working on environmental stats for work, and preparing dinner for when Dawn got home. As disappointed as she was that the car had failed its test, she had no complaints with the fish pie that I'd made for dinner tonight.

Tues, Feb 10th

The heavens opened overnight and Hertford found itself dealing with floods. We were lucky. We got out of our neighbourhood before the rising water blocked off our cul-de-sac and trapped several cars in about four feet of water. Unfortunately our train journey wasn't so good. Our 6:25am train was cancelled, then the 6:34 train that we then boarded was also cancelled and became the 6:55am. It finally left the station gone 7:00am. Little at the time did we know how bad elsewhere in the town it was getting. Several rivers broke their banks and many fields and businesses were totally flooded, including Hertford Football Club and the Riverside where Santa got Tiny's house. They had to lay off a third of their workforce because of the damage and lost 60% of their stock.

Dawn and I decided to leave work early because there was just one train an hour to Hertford, instead of the usual four. We were delighted to make it home again at all. The flood water that had blocked Lower Hatfield Road had receded enough for us to get into our road. However, there was still no way under the viaduct.

Above you can see, a photo that we took on the 14th shows flood waters that still hadn't receded four days later.

Sun, Feb 8th

Our day of rest again today. Yes I know that Dawn did the ironing, laundry and vacuumed the carpets. However, she still feels that it's easier than other things she can do. We also had a feast of food, too. For breakfast we had our now regular Sunday breakfast, a plate of Heinz baked beans, fried egg, baked potato waffle and fried egg. Of course this came with a hot cup of tea.

For lunch we had different things. I had three Ryvita slices with some cream cheese and a couple of olives. Dawn too had a few olives, but had a Philadelphia snack pack that had cream cheese, salsa and chips. Dawn also had some melon, too. And, I almost forgot, we also shared a pack of salt and vinegar flavoured Ryvita chips, too.

This afternoon I watched Spurs draw with Arsenal live on Sky. However, prejudiced as I am, I feel we should have won. Dawn then called Brady a little later because Brady had problems making the video connection.

For dinner we'll have one of Dawn's new favourites. Baked cod in breadcrumbs and tartar sauce with streamed new potatoes and peas.

As for this evening, we'll relax in front of the television with half a kit-kat and a cup of tea. While doing our best not to think about Monday.

Sat, Feb 7th

Hurrah for the weekend. No work for two days. I am really appreciative that I have a job. However, it's been really tough at the moment.

Anyway, I went to Tesco to do the weekly grocery on my own today, because we had a busy schedule. Then the two of us popped into town to get our haircut. This time Dawn commented on how thin I am getting on top. It's probably a hereditary thing. However, I could have blamed the job and got away with it. We then stopped at Starbucks for coffee before making our way to the station to catch the train to Finsbury Park so we could see Dad. While we were at the station, I renewed my train pass for work. However, with things as precarious as they are, I only got a weekly one this time instead of a monthly one.

We stopped for a chicken pita sandwich at Nandos for lunch before calling at Dad's.

One last thing to mention about today. I picked up a bag of fresh Scottish mussels at Tesco this morning and had them in garlic-wine sauce this evening for dinner. Dawn had been waiting weeks for this, so she was really pleased.........

Fri, Feb 6th

Thank God it's Friday. However, I would have laid money on it being the thirteenth, though. We woke up as normal and left the house pleased that we had not got the snow that had been forecast. Especially as I had to drive to Enfield to drop the car off for its annual MOT. But we counted our chickens too soon. I dropped Dawn off at 6:15am and headed for the A10 to drive south when the heavens opened and dropped a deluge of snow. Thankfully I was able to get to PNG without incident and put the car key through their door. Then, wouldn't you know it? The snow stopped falling once I made it to the bus stop.

Work was the same as it had been all week with me fending off suppliers. I was almost counting down the hours it was so bad. But it got worse. I called PNG to make sure I could pick up the car around 2-2.30pm to find out it would not be getting its MOT done. The dealership had gone into Administration last Friday with all the staff being being let go that afternoon. Thankfully the Administrator answered the phone and said I could pick up the car key later.

On the way to PNG, I got call on my work Blackberry telling me that I had forgotten my house keys on my desk. Thankfully I had taken my camera to work to take some photos of the GE building on the Great Cambridge Road being torn down, otherwise I would probably have been at PNG.

Thu, Feb 5th

Yes, there is still a blanket of snow everywhere in Hertford today. There has been little if any new snow here over the last day or two. However, the temperature hasn't got high enough to melt it. So, once again we parked the car in West Street and walked the rest of the distance to the station.

Just to make my day, I had to make my own way home as Dawn had to stay behind as she was on the panel of three who had to interview the two candidates for her old PA position. Dawn didn't make it home until around 6:30pm (she had caught the 6:25am train in the morning).

Wed, Feb 4th

I wouldn't call it back to normal, especially as there was still a blanket of snow everywhere and ice and slush in the road. However, at least the two of us made it to and from work today without any problems. We did do things slightly different though. We parked the car halfway between the house and the station so we could park on a flat road. Neither one of us wanted to try and park the car where we usually did, which was on a fairly steep hill just north of the station.

I met Dawn again on the 16:39 as it pulled into Enfield Chase and we walked halfway home once we arrived at Hertford North. However, it was a lot easier than having to deal with driving through town so there were no complaints there.

Tues, Feb 3rd

Woke up this morning, and although the ground was still covered with a blanket of snow, I decided to go to work. Dawn on the other hand decided to work from home again. If I could I would have. However, I would probably lose a day's pay if I had.

With so much snow, slush and ice on the roads, I decided to walk to the station. It was still several degrees below zero and I didn't want to risk losing control of the car on black ice and sliding into something. In fact, I ended up jogging half the way to the station and caught the 6:10am train instead.

Work was hell. But, that is how it feels at the moment. It's going to be a long month. One that at this moment in time does not offer a great deal of confidence.

Although the above photo was taken yesterday, most of the snow was still in the backyard when I got home this evening. Thankfully, for me, Dawn wiped all the snow off the car and met me at the station.

Mon, Feb 2nd

To say that it snowed today was an understatement. We woke this morning to a blanket of snow and the news that London's red buses had been taken off the roads for the first time in their history. Needless to say, we decided pretty early that we were not going to try and fight the conditions to get into work, especially as the snow was still falling. Instead the both of us worked from home.

At my place of work, only 14 out of around 80 made it in. I found out later that everyone will not lose a day's pay despite failing to make it in. Perhaps I shouldn't have made the effort to work. But, that's me. I spent most of the day working on the ISO 14001 procedures before quitting halfway through the afternoon. However, by then our attention had turned to Tuesday and Dawn and I were debating whether we could make it in then either.

One thing can't go unsaid, I am afraid. Dawn and I spent nearly 7 years living in Florida and one of the things I missed the most were the seasons. I missed a real winter, not to mention spring and autumn. However, I never dreamed we'd see so much snow. I've seen more snow in the last 18 months than I'd seen in all the years I lived in England before moving to Florida. And, that includes all the years before I even met Dawn.

Sun, Feb 2nd

The best day of the week. Even though we had the usual chores to do be done, it was nice knowing that we didn't have to go anywhere and could spend the day with Tiny. However, I did run out and fill up the car with petrol. We would have had enough to get us through the week if we were only going to the station every day. But Friday I need to take the car into Enfield as I need to sort out the car's MOT.

Sat, Feb 1st

Thankfully January is behind us. It hasn't been the best of months. Sadly, though, I feel that February is not going to be much better. Especially where I work.

Today we did the weekly grocery shopping at Tesco before heading into town to do some more grocery shopping and stop at Starbucks for a skinny cappuccino. I read some of my IEMA paperwork and Dawn went on her Nintendo DS Lite.