Autumn is here! Last night I used my new duvet for the first time, and tomorrow I will need to wear a jacket in the day - it was like July in London ;-)
Last weekend after work I stayed with my cousin. It felt like I was going home for the weekend, and indeed I had reached a point last Thursday where I needed family. He cooked a good homemade Guyanese dinner and took me shopping in Westchester county in his car. I bought three coats ( the angora and wool one by Calvin Klein will be returned as I don't like the straight cut, though I like the velvety angora/wool blend). I do love the CK quilted waterproof jacket and the Cole Haan raincoat with detachable herringbone wool liner. The duvet is CK also. I didn't try, it's just that they were the things I was attracted to this time. (Sorry Ralph Lauren!) One reason I put off buying winter bedding and coats is that I couldn't carry everything on the subway.
My duvet cover is a lovely Raymond Waites. Again, didn't even see the (exclusive) name when I picked up the pattern, but it looks like cotton sateen and the label recommends dry cleaning. Does that mean the sheen will be lost if I send it to the laundry? Any advice? I already wash a number of things that insist on dry cleaning, with no ill effects but I have noticed that sometimes the shinier materials look dull.
Yesterday as I was coming home from work a cold front blew in, so today the landlady put the heating on. Ah, the smell of hot dust as the radiators burn off summer accumulation. The days are now around 18C (65F) and nights in the 10s (50s). Tis rather pleasant, bu the leaves still haven't turned.
Guess how long I slept last night? 15 hours! It goes up an hour each week I think! 11.30pm-2am in my homeclothes, followed by a shower and a potter around my room, then 3am-2.15pm in bed. I used to love sleeping but now I dread it. Oh, I'm so good at sleeping standing up now that one day last week on the subway I woke up with a smile thinking, "Oh my gosh, I fell asleep standing up and had a dream." I can't wait to return to my exactly-eight-hours-on-weekends routine.
Some of you have been asking how the notice-giving went last Saturday. All is well. Of course the doc was disappointed as he felt we got along and communicated well. I like to work, and I work hard, just ask the folks back in London at JLT or Makinson Cowell. Some consultants used to jump the queue to ask me to do their work. But I can't work at this frenetic pace, on my feet for nearly 9 hours, with no real breaks, and as you all know from the past year, my nervous system rests on a light trigger. So I guess it's back to the office for me, no more complaints about being stuck at a desk...
A couple of new girls have come and gone, which means he had to beg me to stay a few days more. This week I've been training one who looks like she will stay, and another starts on Monday who has relevant experience, so the doc says my job will be done sometime next week.
I miss blogging and visiting you all. Not long to go, but in my spare time I am looking for a "normal" job.
16 comments:
Okay my dear O - you need to describe what this Guyanese dinner consisted of as I am very curious (and hungry) :-)
You really do need to get a RESEARCH LABORATORY job. I'm sure you would like it.
At every research laboratory I have been involved with the staff are treated as human beings, the work can be hugely satisfying and you can sit down most of the time.
Unlike dental or medical practices, research organisations are usually quite large. So if your initial assignment doesn't suit you it is usually easy to get a transfer to another project or another team.
Another thing that makes it interesting is that staff are almost always encouraged to attend courses and conferences - good for career development within your own organisation and you develop useful contacts (handy when you want to change jobs).
I really love the first picture. I know you will find a nice normal job soon. I am finding it hard as well to find a job. but soon I will get one
glad things have been good at work and glad the dr. hasn't made things too difficult.
love the pattern. interesting that you wash things that are supposed to be dry cleaned. i do the same, and have never had any ill affects from it, altho one girl we had working for us once put one of my blouses in that definitely couldn't be washed and it ruined it. shrunk to the size of a child.
i would think, by looking at the duvet cover, that you might get away w/ washing it on gentle. the only thing is, w/ time, you might start to see it fraying a bit, especially w/ the stitching. altho, w/ time, you might notice that happening from taking it to the cleaners.
gosh... guess i wasn't of any help! ;)
Glad you got a few nice things and a good meal in you! Things will work out, mainly because the universe knows you deserve it!
Planet - you'd sort of know. It was very simple, as he hadn't time to go shopping. Rice, yellow dhal (with lovely burned jeera and garlic), dry achar (made from green mango and masala) which I always love with dhal, some flash fried spinach, and some little dry fried fish from Guyana called kukubelly.
It was truly weird putting all this stuff into words...
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Mark 2 - "not cafe" haha! I am sure I would like a research assistant job although I am not really qualified. I probably need a collegiate type environment and I do like results.
Regular training and courses sounds great too.
Just so you know, I am perusing some research asst. type jobs...
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Mich - we have chosen a tough time in the economy to go job hunting, girlie. Good luck.
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Um Naief - well, he can't really refuse if I want to leave. It's in his best interest to have people there who want to be there.
It's funny, one year I notice how many of my cotton and sometimes even cotton/spandex items required dry cleaning, and I thought "it's cotton! What could be more washable?"
My roomie bought a powerful steamer which the instructions say is a good dry cleaning substitute. So a nice spray and a shot of steam, it should be ok.
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Jo - I had another good meal today! Went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner with my friend Chris, ordered beef fajita with a chile relleno on top! I NEVER order beef but I craved it so must need it....
Am about to make a cuppa tea now :) but have no cookies :(
Liv ~ you have done amazingly well in your position at the dentist! I am so glad you decided to give your notice while you are still standing!! Good luck on your re-search assignment :)
Spider webs are everywhere here too, hoping to capture autumn's airborne.
Your coats sound lovely and warm. Your duvet cover is beautiful ~ and hopefully just a light wash will keep it looking pristine, although if you use bottom and top sheets as well, it shouldn't need cleaning that often, should it?
Best of luck :)
I like dry sunny autumnal days, even if that means cool nights. Mind you it's grey and wet today which means sofa flying rather than lawn lounging!
Good luck with the job hunting, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. xx
You need to stop the frenetic work pace and get back to your frenetic blogging pace!
This is always a nice time of the year, though, isn't it?
Dewdrops on spiderwebs and whiskers on...um, wait a minute...
I know, but we will find something.
Chad might have to go on strike, the nurses want to go on strike, he doesn't want to. He is a recent grad.
Mark1 (cafe) - Good luck in whatever you end up doing. But remember it won't benefit your employer if you make yourself ill, so take it easy! All the best (PS I didn't realise I was Mark1 - it would be the same to me if I were MarkIV !!!)
Glo - thanks. I do enjoy the work, so I am pretty good at it.
Yes, I use top and bottom sheets, but I wanted to rinse off the manufacturing dust and chemicals. What I did instead was treat it with a lint brush and linen spray. I suppose that is enough for now.
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Flighty - you know, today started off very English - cool and grey, but the sun has come out and we're heading up to 20C. I need to go out grocery shopping later so it should be a pleasant stroll. xx
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Minstrel - you are right!
As for the weather, it's been a long time since I've experienced a proper autumn, although it's just like this in Houston from November to March (which counts as winter) and in London from May to August (which counts as summer). hehe!
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Meimei - yes we will girlie.
When the nurses go on strike, someone has to go in to work, unless they hire agency nurses?
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Mark (cafe) - I wonder how Mark 2 knew you were Mark 1?
I could do with some home cooking right now - yum! Glad you liked the choccie and card I sent, as soon as I saw them I thought of you :o) Miss you funny chum, twas not the same without you at the Sunday bacon buttie slob-in ;o) xxx
Liv, I am so very glad you have left there and are looking for something more suitable. Looking forward to hearing how the search goes. As for the washing instructions...I do think the bed spread would look nicer longer if you dry clean it. Sending my best to you!
Divaaaaaa! So nice to see you on my blog, seeing as now we can't gossip over a cuppa tea, even though I'm usually buried under the email exchanges :)
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BH - Oh, I haven't left yet. I was hoping today would be my last day but perhaps he'll keep me the whole two weeks, thus making the last day Saturday.
Roomie bought a steamer so this duvet is going to be steamed from now on.
also... what an incredible spider web pic!! just love it!
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