eiffel_71 | (no subject)

We were back in our proper seats this morning. When I quizzed Margaret about why we'd been shifted yesterday, she said Lin had held a training session at that end of the room and had felt her trainees would have been too noisy for us to work.

Jane and Paula were full of The Apprentice and BB9 when they arrived. Mid-morning, when I passed Sue #5, Barry and Mark on my way to take a mini-break the guys were earnestly discussing Euro 2008. I couldn't resist joining in, then after Barry quizzed me on my tips for who'd do well he asked me when Hawks' pre-season friendlies began.

"Tuesday 8 July away to East Preston, but I'm on lates that night so the first one I see'll be at home to Grays. Conference National side, they'll give us a game."

Barry said he was surprised I'd not managed to swap out of the Tuesday. I explained that I'd swapped into that shift, agreeing to cover it for a lady before the friendlies were announced. Barry and Sue said I could self swap.

"Won't that mean Jane has to do the shift she wanted out of?"

"No, she can still do the shift she swapped onto, and you can self swap out of the Tuesday, as long as you stay within the same week. We're pretty relaxed about this."

As it happens, I wasn't due to work the Monday of that week, so a self swap was duly arranged. East Preston away might not sound the most appealing fixture, but there's something about the first pre-season friendly, especially when it's away. Sorted.

We had a briefing this afternoon at 2.10, so I got to claim an extra 20 minutes. No danger of this one over-running, as there was a guy who'd booked the Mini Map Room to hold a talk of his own at 2.30 sharp - and spent the last minutes of our meeting outside champing at the bit! We cleared out on time.

The bus showed up on time today. Home to water the plants.