nothing really

I suppose we all go through phases when we aren't writing much and the idea fairy takes a break....
Anyway i decided to just sir down and type so goodness only knows what will emerge. It's been am up and down few weeks. As usual I'm spending far to much time on facebook. I've made a few new friends on there and having road tested them I have a fairly good idea which will work out and which won't. Friendship is always a bit of a risk, especially in the early days when you are sort of feeling your way but you do get a feel for who people are whilst swapping silly comments and poking.
I am constantly thinking about a very special friend who I know has had a tough time of late, I never stop thinking about her, usually I keep a positive spin on things but now and again the old negativity creeps in, that happened last night, I really plummeted and really suddenly but luckily my most stalwart friend happened to be on line and a simple hug arrested my fall (who would believe that several sets of brackets could do so much - perhaps there's a story or poem in that 'saved by parenthesis')

Hospital in the morning, would you believe this will be the first time I've seen the cardiologist on my own, not through my choice! At least I'll be able to talk about my issues without being contradicted or rubbished.

I'm loving my job at the moment, perhaps because I am working alone and being allowed to make decisions. Got some really nice compliments from customers today and asked one customer the question we've been dying to know for ages- what sort of doctor are you? she's a forensic psychologist, a real live cracker?

On the writing front there isn't much happening but I'm pleased to note that my Helium earnings are now at $32

crazy toad hits the road

that title may be misleading as I didn't hit anything and my sanity isn't an established fact.

However.....

I realise in my odd moments of lucidity that I must appear rather, odd as I bowl along in my bright red library van, singing happily to myself and grinning like a Cheshire cat. I do enjoy my work and further, I enjoy my trip to work, I enjoy driving between stops and I enjoy going home.
travelling gives me chance to smile at more people and, driving is a great occupation for someone who likes to let their mind go wild. I have all my best (not that that's saying much) ideas as I drive and often begin the writing of poems in my head. Often I forget everything if there are customers waiting but these are the perils of the travelling library and no-one said it would be easy. Actually a lot of people say it's easy but don't let word get out.
You would be amazed at the stuff that goes on in my head as I drive (certainly scares me) and often's the time I've found myself grinning, what must my fellow motorists think?

I have definately gone 'weird'

Oh dear, I've found myself enjoying work and not only enjoying work but wanting to be at work when I'm not. I have always enjoyed this job, how lucky am I!
The news that my colleague will be spending some time away made several people comment that it was going to get very lonely for me but I have my thoughts, my books, my computer and my writing and I really struggle to fit it all in as it is.

deeply honoured!

tomorrow I am taking our brand new library van to meet the city councillors with the possibility of a 'photo opportunity'
I will be parked in the public square in front of the civic building while the worthy city fathers and mothers view their latest acquisition.
Once they have viewed the van I will set off to take it to Nottingham where it will have it's lovely colourful livery put on. I'm looking forward to reviving the ToadSmiles campaign.

I have pondered over why the council want to see the van before it is identifiable as a Leeds Library Van rather than meeting the van after the livery is applied.

Positive feedback

working for a local council I find that there is a great preoccupation with customer surveys and feedback but by the time it's all processed and made PC it is so dry and boring.
Yesterday was a quiet day but at one stop a young customer came to browse (and to stop me getting bored, she said). She wanted books on ferrets which I couldn't provide off the shelf so as she was leaving I apologised for being useless. Her response? Yeah but you're funny, friendly and great at giving away books.

Now that's the kind of feedback I like to hear

someone stop me!

This morning I have been on a training session on using the new nhs internet portal. It includes the usual self help and diagnostic tools which i foolishly played with.

I have depression (ok, I accept that)
I have a skin carcinoma (hope not)
I have a food allergy (oh no, not food please)

Luckily time ran out but please don't let me near that thing again.

I'm exposed

At the moment the library van is parked in a very open spot and it is extremely windy.There is a steep drop to my right. If I never blog again please look for me.

getting used to the good life

Now that we have internet access on the library van I am feeling very spoilt but I have just realised that there will be few days when I can really take advantage. This is because we usually work in twos and I have just had a lucky run of being on my own lol.

My regular partner is brilliant but the problem is she is a webophile too so there will be handbags at dawn.

how much excitement can one toadee endure

woohoo, today the old library van drove into the 21st century!
We are now officially live which means we can issue books in real time on the library service server and more importantly we are on the net so guess which toad will not be bored at work lol

Is this love?

every week and elderly couple come onto the mobile library. She reads avidly he never touches a book but every week he escorts her to the van, carrying her books and sees her safely aboard before announcing that he will pop over to the shop to see if the paper is in.
Every week she tells him to be careful and to watch the road. When he returns he sits quietlt with his paper while she chooses her books and chats and then he helps her down the steps and carries her books home for her.

consulting the all seeing librarian

Mrs X came onto the library van today. She returned her book, a self help book on stopping smoking but judging by the aroma preceding her it isn't very effective.

'have you got any good books?' she asked
'what sort of thing do you like'
'good books'
'do you like stories or non fiction'
'stories-good ones'
'errr, thrillers, romance, historical....?'
'well have you got any good books?'
'errrrrrrrrrrr'
'oh, I'll take this one'
with that she picked up a guide to kitchen gardening and took it off to her gardenless terraced house.

Born to read?

whist flicking through the list of borrowers on the mobile library i came across a miss Turner........first name? Paige.

one of those days

We discovered this morning that the filler cap was missing from the library van so before we could fill up with diesel we had to go to the repair place for a new cap. After leaving there I took a mini roundabout a little to enthusiastically and mos tof the books on one sid eof the van relocated to the floor *whoops* I'm sure I heared a rude word venture forth from my colleagues mouth!

After a couple of weeks on the job

typical, is it not, that having worked on the mobile library for two weeks I find that I am hardly reading.
I spend each day surrounded by books and, indeed, I continue to be draw to many diverse titles. The trouble is that I am to busy at work and to tired when i get home.

The new job

Having completed one week of my new job on the mobile library service i can report that I am still alive and not bored yet. I think the job has possibilities and I might even continue to enjoy it.

from Mucky to Booky (via Bookie)

OMG what a terrible title!

anyway just to let you know that today I said farewell to those lovely wheelie bins and from Monday I'm on the mobile library AND IT'S A PROPER JOB!
I will still be assisting the bookie at football games and hopefully I will have some more blackjack to deal but mainly I am a mobile librarian(and I'm scared stiff)

Gulp!

I have applied for a one year temporary post as librarian on the mobile library. Wish me luck toadfriends

A good day

oh joy, oh rapture, sat at the wheel of my beloved library bus in the English countryside in the warm sun.

Translation: How the hell am I supposed to get this vehicle down that narrow lane when some idiot has parked his 4x4 in the road, oh stuff it I'm to hot and sweaty to be bothered.


But I do enjoy doing the mobile library :o)

Oh joy

I worked on the mobile library again today, I love doing this job AND there is a vacancy coming up! so watch this space hehe.

It was lovely to know that the library staff had missed me even if it was only because the agency had sent them some truly weird characters.

I spoke to the agency this morning and they are looking at offering me as a temp librarian\driver