A cow of a day.

If I have understood it correctly more depressing news about my flat in the UK. Apparently it was illegally separated and building regs did not cover anything like gas or electrics when they came in (both of which were faulty, one of which was illegal) they just ensured that the sound proofing between flats met the requirements. So what I thought was a letter signing of the property by building regs was not a letter to say that the gas or electrics were okay, it was a letter to say that the sound proofing was okay!!!! Sound proofing with WH Brown had incorrectly told me was above standard. It also sort of implies that the Borough knew that the letting there was illegal but did nothing about it, they also took over a year to tell me how to report the gas as being illegal and they did not think that 5 people in a one bed flat was overcrowded.  There seems to be very little protection re housing in the UK.  I know that when I bought the place, I kept saying to myself if seems too good to be true it probably is ...but I cannot see where the flaw is as all the paperwork seems to support, not that I am getting a bargain, but that the deal I think I am getting I am getting. Well if it seems too good to be true I now know it is because none of the paper work is what you think it is or is a lie.

Anyway it was a nice day at work today, sort of, though the fact that my head has been out recruiting potential students to go to the Foundation university has unsettled me a bit. This is in fact another very good idea, that they pay for people to go to uni and that they then work for the Foundation, however, I would have quite like to have been involved with promoting this and I hate to agree with Gove, but I also think that the Foundation has missed a trick as I think really they need to see if the students they are selecting have the language or aptitude to go to uni so have suggested that they ought to work in the school first get some experience as a classroom assistant that way when they get to uni they will have earned some money, proved their worth and they know what they want to get out of University. I have said this several times and thought that the idea had sort of got a nod, to say that there may be something in it, so I was a bit suprised that before the policy working group discussing all these issues could even get together this decision seems to have been taken out of its hands. However, it does show how dynamic my head is, there are showers being built for summer school, more bits of the basketball being sorted out, a kitchen being built and yet she still manages to do even more so perhaps instead of niggling I should be thinking good on her. for at least starting the process so I am glad I have talked myself round.

Discussions are still taking place re next years contracts and again they seem to be ignoring some of the policy and some of the other suggestions that have already been put forward but the nice thing is that they do seem willing to negotiate and it is flattering that I have been asked up to head office, but because none of them seemed to know about my health despite that being the reason my insurance was so mega costly, (I kept ringing up with every little thing just in case as travel insurance companies are notorious for saying but you did not inform us of that twinge you had last autumn etc.) and despite me having that bit absolutely confirmed by email before accepting the post last year - so they should have known what my position was, what I have been offered so far is more than I I feel I could manage especially as I would have to commute, cook and shop for myself.  So not sure at present, all taken a bit of a surprise course as I thought they just wanted me back here and under the same contract all this time, not more hours in a totally different location with different housing etc.

Anyway it is very wet here and when I left work,  very late for me at 6.30 as I finally got access to the colour printer, the cows were on their way home. There was a whole bunch of them and they were so funny because it seemed without instruction from the guys who look after them all day, they all just took off when it came to their turning, some going to the left for example, others staying on the main road for longer, one just ran down the hill leaving me in hysterics at the sight of her and I thought another had accidentally followed me further till it too turned in at the last house in the road. It bellowed in delight as it walked through its door.  Animals are so wonderful.

The last of the herd