Rip's Ramble
Life In The Eyes Of...
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Sunday, June 22, 2003
More about boats
Junior has known the four IOM Steam Packets ships by name and sight since he was three. More recently he has developed a liking for the story of Titanic. It is hard to distinguish whether he prefers James Cameron's film of the events or the 1958 film based on the book "A night to Remember".
Having a quick look for Titanic pictures, I came across a couple of websites of interest that I thought I would share with those interested in the history.
There is a pretty good description of the Titanic events (even I followed it easily) including a couple of photographs of the ship in dry dock during construction at Great Ocean Liners.net
A short article in which various myths and rumours are displelled at BBC Online
There is an extensive ammount of information that as far as I can see covers everything you could imagine here
Saturday, June 21, 2003
Later that same day...
Junior was full of happy beans when I picked him up from his childminder. He kissed and hugged his childminder bye bye, thanked her for looking after him and wished her to have a good weekend. We went to Govoners Hill playgroud and were just pulling up when he announced a need to "wee wee". A quick 180 and race home, then try again with the playground. He's not shy in company and will usually mingle with other children quickly. After asking some older children already there if he was allowed to play with them, a lille boy toddled in with his dad and Junior had a new friend to play with. The boy reminded me of Junior when he was younger... all over the place and no fear of anything :) the 2 of them were up and down all the climbing frames, running around and sharing Juniors football, throwing, rolling and kicking to each other on the grass and up on the frames and slide. The father and I were able to chat away like a couple of mother hens as we watched them play. As much as I am glad for Junior to be an only child at home, I'm also glad that he and other children are happy to interact together so well.
Happy Saturday people :)
Junior was allowed to stay up a little later than usual last night, and the lazy mite is still asleep :o
Work has had it in for me this week. I don't think there was a day ran ran as smoothly as it normally does/should. To those who don't know, I am an Assistant Buyer, a "middle man" within the company that I work for. In other words, When purchases are required, reams of paper fall on my desk, I sift through them, contact various supplies for prices and availability, make sure that the request is within budget (if not find out why not), then place the order any everyone is happy. Simple... Every so often, there is a little hiccup, that is to be expected, and that is when I prove my usefulness with my "on the spot" diagnosis and remedying.
This week, I think 70% of those pieces of paper had to be handled twice or more... culminating on Friday with one request for 4 items (made up of a couple of million components, various sizes and colours, 2 supplies) being typed out, then one supplier didn't have actually stock one of the items, so back to the other supplier, then one item description on the request didn't match the suppliers written quote, so had to verify if the error was with the request or the quote, then the component quantities were revised. Bear in mind that between each hiccup, the orders were typed out, faxed off and filed, then pulled out again and modified. By revision number 395 (exagerated) we were happy (actually, we agreed to sod them, LOL)
I love my job and the little quirks that it has. I hate predictability, and (after the event) I smile and think, "job well done" :)
Friday, June 20, 2003
I'm happy to say that despite my brief brush with fame, I remain as level headed and approachable as I ever was :)
Strange heart warming moment yesterday... I folded a piece of A4 paper in half, then folded 2 of the corners and then the top lips to make a paper boat for Junior. His face lit up and he went crazy with delight when I handed it over. Genuine jumping up and down saying thankyou daddy, thankyou... Later, I made him another with him beside me copying with his own paper (Mine was the best, by the way...). He played on the room floor for ages with them and his exisiting plastic boats. This morning as we left the house, all 3 were side by side in his brick "Harbour".
Why heart warming? Junior isn't spoilt with toys, neither is he lacking (ok, ok he has lots), Yet here was a piece of folded paper and he was estatic. Can I take that as a good sign? Hmmm, maybe he is deprived...
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Hello again :)
Life goes on as before. Much pleasure being taken from this burst of sunshine that we have seen recently on the Island.
I felt the need to take a little time away from the ammount of online time. Minor irritaions in my personal life were having a negative effect on me and I withdrew into my shell for a while to try and ride it out.
Junior, as ever, has been the one reliable thing in my life and we've had some great playtimes in and away from the house. On Sunday we had a great day doing not much new. Swimming as usual, home for lunch then we tidied the garden a bit and cut the lawn, went to Onchan Park with his bike and eventually I delivered a happy and tired boy to Mummy (a bit later than planned, sorry Mummy)
Yesterday, we raced home from his childminders to drag his paddling pool out. A quick scrub down and fill with the hose pipe and many trips from the kitchen with buckets of hot water. He was in the water for about an hour before it became necessary to dry him off and we went in to dry and warm up :)
OOOOO, By the way, Junior and I have been unmasked to the unsuspecting public. The local newspaper emailed me about Manx Parents wanting to do a little article. I had a brief chat with a reporter over the phone last Thursday and a photographer came round the house on Friday. The article and photo are in todays Examiner on page 5 :o
Monday, June 09, 2003
Rip's Ramble is taking a brief pause.
Sunday, June 01, 2003
Sunday night Going to bed, feeling tired and generally happy.
One bit of bad news was Richard Quayle coming off his bike on the second lap of Saturday's first race. Information was slow coming forward. After a night in the Intensive Therapy Unit he has internal injuries, but appears to be "stable". My best wishes go to him, his wife and family.
