NAS - Networked Attached Storage

I upgraded my laptop from Vista to Windows 7 (the evaluation version as Win7 is not out yet) and I can no longer see my NAS. I have a Netgear SC101 NAS - which works fine from XP and Vista but not Win7. I've spent ages - modified the registry etc etc but no luck. Guess I'll buy a new NAS after Windows 7 comes out (I'd like to buy one that is guaranteed to work with win 7 and Vista  and XP)

Work - two months since last blog

I don't know what happened to the last two months, but after weeks of agonising I've finally got my head into a better position over my career.
It's been a difficult eight weeks with frequent loss of confidence, something I've never experienced before - and intend never to experience again!

My position at work remains uncertain. Many people have resigned on both sides of the Atlantic. I am grateful to my boss, as her action woke me  up. I've been thinking about what I want and come to a realisation that I'd gone to sleep and was literally marking time at work. something I think that happens to a lot of people. I was still turning in good work, but had forgotten to ask myself "what do I want?"

What I want is to run my own business. The next step is to think what and when.

Work is getting me down!

Had a meeting with my boss today, where she told me that I was rated (appraisal time) "in the danger zone" - which means a rating of "meets expectations" which may become a "not meets expectations" in the current economic climate. I just have to wait for the official rating, next month.

This news is strongly demotivating.

More Swine Flu

Rita has now gone down with Swine Flu! I still feel fine.

Swine Flu

Went to Bridge lesson tonight, Gunsell has returned having (almost) recovered from swine flu. He told us that he went down with it a few days after our last lesson (two weeks ago). I went to the pub after with Dylan and Rita.

Star Trek

Went to see Star Trek tonight, with Ella. We had a meal beforehand, though not in Pizza Express as it was closed because of some problem with the water supply.

I loved the film, a must for fans as it nicely brought all the old characters in as young characters (tag line was something like "the adventure begins"). I must admit I didn't recognise Scotty at first, even the laughter from the audience didn't make the penny drop with me, until I later when he was operating the teleporter.

Bridge at Ebbw Vale

I went to Ebbw Vale after work on Friday, arrived at 5:45, enough time for something to eat before taking my Father to Bridge at the Ebbw Vale "Learning Action Centre".
http://www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/leisure/5099.asp

Then spent Saturday morning on the family tree (Genes Reunited) with my mother.

Home to Reading by 7pm for dinner with Sue, Dylan and Ella. Dylan is home from Salford for Sue's birthday on Monday.

Arren back to Southampton

Took Arren back to Southampton University today after lunch with Vicky, Arren, Sue and Ella.

Shopping with Ella

Went shopping with Ella and bought her shoes and a handbag! (well - she paid half towards the bag). Ella likes "dolly shoes" the flat type. Also got two shirts for me.

Genes Reunited

Started digging into my family tree with Genes Reunited.
Found a fourth cousin that I knew nothing about - who had details about my great, great grandfather.

Cinema with Arren

Took Arren to cinema to see Grand Torino (Clint Eastwood). Good film, but not as compelling as some reviews suggested.

Visit to EV

Travelled to Ebbw Vale for Easter Monday. Sue did most of the driving as I still didn't feel to good. Dylan and Ella came with us, while Arren went to a gig in Sheffield (The Prodiigy).

Most of the conversation with my parents seem to centre around a planned wall to replace a hedge!

Easter Meal with Jill and Simon

Had a really nice meal today at Jill's. I was still feeling unwell (some sort of virus which then made my stomach go into overdrive!) so I left early (around 7pm).

Borrowed a DVD from Simon - "The Sweet" a 1970's glam rock band.

Ella home

Ella home - she got back at Lunchtime after a long journey by bus from France. Only one incident happened on the holiday - she fell off the drag lift and the instructor told her to wait for him and then forgot her!

Devon

Visited Devon on a day trip today and had lunch at Sandy Park Inn. I had a duck salad - delicious.

London - Natural History Museum and Theatre

Visited the Natural History museum in London to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition exhibition (run jointly by BBC Wildlife Magazine and the Museum). This was an inspirational exhibition with many remarkable photographs. Sue loved on called "Polar sunrise" which showed a polar bear backlit by the first rays of sunlight. I liked the "clash of eagles" where two white-tailed eagles fight in a snowstorm. This was taken at 1,000 sec with a long lens (500mm). The most popular camera seemed to be the Canon EOS 40D (10meg).

My favourite was "Orcas at sunset"; three fins sticking out of the water at sunset. The water looks captivating.




After the museum, we went to Leicester Square and bought reduced price tickets to see "Entertaining Mr Sloane"
with Imelda Staunton at the Trafalgar Studio theatre. Tickets were from LondonTheatreBookings.com.

Visit to Kent

Visited Jim with Dylan, Charlotte and Sue. I started the day in a bad mood, especially as we left later than planned (around 10am) and forgot to take the pizzas, sue had bought for our lunch.

Arrived at 1pm, Sue took a wrong turn after Ashford (we switched drivers at the Clacket Lane service station and I went to sleep!). Asha is back, and Tony, Calluma nd Franncesca were already there. Jim made us coffee while I let Poppy into the back garden to chase Lulu. After a coffee I took Sue to Sainsbury's to buy more lunch and some vitamin C for Jim. His white blood count is too low for him to continue with the Chemo.

After lunch we chatted, then Dylan suggested a walk with F&C to the beach.

Holiday at home - two weeks over Easter

It's Saturday and it's the first day of my two week holiday. We walked Poppy together in the morning. Dylan arrived from Salford University in the afternoon. In the evening I went to the cinema with Sue to see SlumDog millionaire.


A teenager who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" and is arrested under suspicion of cheating.
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1571460352/tt1010048

Ella goes skiing

Ella went on a school trip today - skiing in France for a week.

Jim and Asha

Jim and Asha had an argument last night which resulted in Asha travelling to her daughter's house in London today. While this was clearly Jim's fault, I find myself feeling sorry for him. It seems he's getting a rough deal, now living alone with cancer.

Jim has recently reduced his drinking and cut back to two whisky's a night (reduced from the 500ml of scotch that he was consuming). Possibly this, and the pain from the cancer has made him more irratble than usual (and he's easily irritated, even on a good day).

Jim on chemo

Jim's doing well with his chemo. He started last Friday (13th March) and he's taken to the first lot with no hiccups.
Sue was talking to him on the phone tonight - he has an appointment with the Oncologist on Friday 27th.

Sunday at Ebbw Vale

I visited Mam and Dad today. Drove down with Ella and arrived at 10:30, in time for tea and toast before setting to some repairs. Ella fixed Grandad's mobile and I looked at their telephone answering machine. Dad is playing Bridge Friday's with Michael Crump. We played a few hands after lunch, Ella has recently learned the basics. Both Mam and Dad looked well (Mam is 77 this year).

Jim with cancer

Visited Ashford hospital yesterday with Sue and my father-in-law, Jim, who was told that he has lung cancer. Jim was born in 1935 and has smoked for most of his life. He has small cell lung cancer and is considering chemotherapy - a mixture of carboplatin and etoposide.

He was finding the walking around the hospital tiring, and was clearly in a awful lot of pain every time he coughed. The hospital registrar was clearly surprised when Jim owned up to drinking a half bottle of whisky a day. He added thoughtfully, "I dilute it with a lot of water".

Beaufort Arms

I visited Ebbw Vale today and drove passed the Beaufort Arms (pictured below). My father had told me that it was not open and "boarded up", though it looked open (sort of). I don't know how many pubs have closed in EV - but was told that the Rhyd has gone bust