Monday
Over the weekend I developed a terrible cough that is exhausting, painful and makes my head ache. I would have dearly liked to have stayed at home today. But countdown for the conference seminar made this impossible.
Once I was in the office I made myself some coffee and sat quietly at my desk reading returned questionnaires.
11o'clock and the management meeting. We (the management team) all trooped into the office of Director Vijay Singh. I sat at my usual place at the long table (marked by a deep scratch I once accidentally made with the edge of a ring binder.
"This will be a chance for you to report on how your department is doing against targets" Vijay Singh said.
I have been so preoccupied with planning the seminar that I could barely remember what my targets were, let alone how I was achieving them. Looking round the table I saw that others had done reports with graphs and tables, and Tim Watts (Development Manager) had even done a Powerpoint presentation. When my turn came I was saved by my illness - so hoarse was my voice, so pathetic was my struggle against influenza, that I was listened to with quiet sympathy and no-one asked any hostile questions.
The meeting finished at 1pm and I went home, taking some work with me.
Tuesday
Going to work was out of the question. I coughed and coughed and coughed. Eventually I got up and went downstairs to drink some hot blackcurrant - no sign of my brother.
I went back to bed and slept until 3pm.
I tried to read, but I didn't have enough energy even for reading.
I just sat in an armchair with the electric fire on, conscious of the dry rushing wind outside the house.
So many syrups and cough lozenges that I felt sick.
Wednesday
Many enquiries after my health when I arrived at the office. I was ruthless about deleting e-mails that had arrived yesterday. Vijay Singh asked me to contact Alec Nussbaum's PA to find out if he planned to attend our seminar at the conference.
Most of the morning I spent working on the exhibitions programme, most of the bookings now in place.
The afternoon spent in a session of Appraisal Training, which was reasonably interesting although rather pointless as I have no staff to appraise (but perhaps that might change?).
When I came out of the training I was not in the mood for work and so idled away the last hour.
Thursday
Vijay Singh has decided, at this very late hour, he wants the Institute to do a special newsletter to be given out at the conference. All my plans for today were disrupted as I edited this newsletter and got Joey to lay it out and produce a proof. Not wanting to wait for others to write the contributions (I know how slow that would be!) I simply wrote their sections myself and asked "Is this what you want to say?"
Too busy to go out at lunchtime I had lunch at my desk - grapes, an apple and two Kit Kats.
A meeting with Vijay Singh towards the end of the afternoon - he told me Alec Nussbaum wanted to move the Library and reading room back to Head Office.
Friday
Almost every hour today I had little meetings with Vijay Singh to discuss aspects of the Seminar. "There is a lot riding on this for me" he said. In the afternoon we held a rehearsal, which was a bit shambolic.
Lunchtime I went to Tescos, and after buying some sandwiches in the store I drove to the far side of the giant car park, where no other cars were parked, so that I could read quietly. Out of the corner of my eye I was aware of a tall security guard approaching, and when he got up to my vehicle he stood cockily right by the car door, rocking slightly on his heels. I continued to ignore him, so that he was forced to tap on the window. When I had half-opened the window he asked me why I had chosen to park so far away from the other cars. I told him: "I parked here because I didn't want any interruptions". "Fair enough" he said, and walked away.
Over the weekend I developed a terrible cough that is exhausting, painful and makes my head ache. I would have dearly liked to have stayed at home today. But countdown for the conference seminar made this impossible.
Once I was in the office I made myself some coffee and sat quietly at my desk reading returned questionnaires.
11o'clock and the management meeting. We (the management team) all trooped into the office of Director Vijay Singh. I sat at my usual place at the long table (marked by a deep scratch I once accidentally made with the edge of a ring binder.
"This will be a chance for you to report on how your department is doing against targets" Vijay Singh said.
I have been so preoccupied with planning the seminar that I could barely remember what my targets were, let alone how I was achieving them. Looking round the table I saw that others had done reports with graphs and tables, and Tim Watts (Development Manager) had even done a Powerpoint presentation. When my turn came I was saved by my illness - so hoarse was my voice, so pathetic was my struggle against influenza, that I was listened to with quiet sympathy and no-one asked any hostile questions.
The meeting finished at 1pm and I went home, taking some work with me.
Tuesday
Going to work was out of the question. I coughed and coughed and coughed. Eventually I got up and went downstairs to drink some hot blackcurrant - no sign of my brother.
I went back to bed and slept until 3pm.
I tried to read, but I didn't have enough energy even for reading.
I just sat in an armchair with the electric fire on, conscious of the dry rushing wind outside the house.
So many syrups and cough lozenges that I felt sick.
Wednesday
Many enquiries after my health when I arrived at the office. I was ruthless about deleting e-mails that had arrived yesterday. Vijay Singh asked me to contact Alec Nussbaum's PA to find out if he planned to attend our seminar at the conference.
Most of the morning I spent working on the exhibitions programme, most of the bookings now in place.
The afternoon spent in a session of Appraisal Training, which was reasonably interesting although rather pointless as I have no staff to appraise (but perhaps that might change?).
When I came out of the training I was not in the mood for work and so idled away the last hour.
Thursday
Vijay Singh has decided, at this very late hour, he wants the Institute to do a special newsletter to be given out at the conference. All my plans for today were disrupted as I edited this newsletter and got Joey to lay it out and produce a proof. Not wanting to wait for others to write the contributions (I know how slow that would be!) I simply wrote their sections myself and asked "Is this what you want to say?"
Too busy to go out at lunchtime I had lunch at my desk - grapes, an apple and two Kit Kats.
A meeting with Vijay Singh towards the end of the afternoon - he told me Alec Nussbaum wanted to move the Library and reading room back to Head Office.
Friday
Almost every hour today I had little meetings with Vijay Singh to discuss aspects of the Seminar. "There is a lot riding on this for me" he said. In the afternoon we held a rehearsal, which was a bit shambolic.
Lunchtime I went to Tescos, and after buying some sandwiches in the store I drove to the far side of the giant car park, where no other cars were parked, so that I could read quietly. Out of the corner of my eye I was aware of a tall security guard approaching, and when he got up to my vehicle he stood cockily right by the car door, rocking slightly on his heels. I continued to ignore him, so that he was forced to tap on the window. When I had half-opened the window he asked me why I had chosen to park so far away from the other cars. I told him: "I parked here because I didn't want any interruptions". "Fair enough" he said, and walked away.
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