Petrified

The guy in the photo, that is. Whenever I see these statues and the Newcastle cityscapes, I think of fellow-blipper Brooksie's photos, though I can't do them justice like he does.



Anyway, from now on this is going to be a proper, old fashioned ranting blip.

Be warned.

It's been a rubbish day. I'm still feeling like death warmed up, but struggled on through work and went on after work to a union meeting in Newcastle all about (more) proposed changes to our pensions. I thought it was a drop-in, but it was actually a presentation and not due to end until 7pm, so I had to walk out almost as soon as I got there becuase I didn't want to miss seeing my babies before bedtime. Anyway, the meeting provides me with the first of tonight's rants:

PENSION RANT:
It's proposed that I'll have to pay almost £2,000 a year EXTRA in pension contributions - on top of the extra I already pay after changes a couple of years ago; I'll have to work for longer - probably until I'm 66 or 67 - before I can access the pension; and will get about 25% less when I eventually retire because it will be based on career average earnings rather than an average of the last ten years, so once again I will be penalised for wanting to work part time during the middle years of my career to spend time with my young kids. This after the redundancy fiasco last year where I got a payment based on my part time salary even though I'd worked full time for many, many years before I had kids. There has to be a better formula. I'm really angry about it all. OK, I know something has to give and the country is in a shocking state and all, but the proposals are not based on any credible evidence and is jumping the gun before report findings are published and analysed. I just think it is all a bit too much, and not carefully considered. It's yet another knee-jerk reaction.


PENSION RANT OVER...

But I haven't finished ranting...


PARKING TICKET RANT:
I got back to the car to find a parking ticket on the windscreen. Parking after 5pm is free. I got to the car park at just after half four. I didn't dare risk a ticket so went to the machine but had no change. However, help was at hand as there is now a scheme where you can ring up and set up an account to pay car park charges over the phone. After ten minutes keying in my number plate and card details and the car park number and how many minutes I wanted to pay for, I was told my parking fee was now sorted. So when I got back to find the ticket on the windscreen, I was very frustrated, though in a righteous way as I was looking forward to getting on the phone and explaining how I HAD paid for a ticket even though there was less than half an hour before free parking...but then I discovered the ticket was for parking in a permit bay without a permit. NOOOOOOO! I don't remember seeing any clear signs and I'm sure I read someplace that you can fight these tickets if the signs aren't clear enough, but right now I don't have the energy, so I will try to plead my case tomorrow.

PARKING TICKET RANT OVER.

And finally:

TODDLER BED RANT

So I got home to see my babies, which was lovely...but Gracie wasn't feeling well at all, and had a rash ALL over. Chicken pox. Poor love, she's really uncomfortable. So she's in my bed tonight, wimpering away (I've been upstairs to comfort her several times whilst doing this typing, and get her back to sleep). There's no room for three of us in there, so I'll be cramped up in Grace's toddler bed tonight. Word of advice for parents who are about to buy their baby's first proper bed when they move out of the cot: BUY A SINGLE BED. Those cute little toddler beds may look lovely, but remember that you, the parents, will inevitably be sleeping in the kid's bed many a night. I am small, believe me, and I still struggle. Get well soon Gracie Pie.


But on a different note, all this pales into insignificance after the visit I made to a school today: a school that is grieving over the loss of a member of staff in horrific circumstances, but who are united in their grief, and all staff are to attend the funeral tomorrow. Nearby schools are sending a member of staff each to cover the children's classes for a short time and the cook is providing packed lunches for the children before she goes out. Thinking of them and their loss.

I think that just about wraps it up for tonight.