It is Friday again and another weekend to look forward to just around the corner. The week seems to go so fast probably because I am enjoying work particularly learning about the UK health service. I share an office in the 'old' building which was built in the 1700's and which will in the next few years be vacated. Where I am has sloped wooden floors (if I push my chair away to get up, I find myself rolling to the otherside of the room and sometimes I even have to hold on to the desk to prevent me rolling backwards), high ceilings and everything echoes. I thought it would be quite romantic working in an old building - but not so sure now - but it is nice having smaller offices I must admit. The service is working on a tight budget - I now think NZ has quite a few extravagances (like white boards, sticky labels, highlighters, note books and pads!!). Telephone messages are left on used pieces of paper, people very rarely have note books and if you want a highlighter I have been told I have to bring my own! (I know someone in the Estates department who hopefully might be able to find me one!). I miss the day when I could stand at a white board with others and have a workshop and then print out the results - besides no whiteboard there is little room for meetings and discussions! Anyway, the work is fascinating - how to reduce waiting lists for patients - a government initiative which involves examining and changing work processes and analysing data -right up my alley - I feel as though it is really doing something worthwhile. I have told them about some of the experiences in the health areas in kiwiland. This week we went for a nice wander up through the University of Bristol - although nothing like Victoria University I was reminded of it - because the university has expanded and has a mixture of old and new buildings with a number of houses bought by the university. Lots of students around in cafes etc so quite a buzzy feeling. We had takeaways on a lawn with a squirrel and decided that they were possibly the last takeaways we will ever buy in the UK! The Bristol grammer school occupied a block beside the university - beautiful old buildings and it again had almost a whole street of houses for its use.
Last night we had dinner with the New Zealanders I mentioned a while ago that had come to Bristol (Adrienne and Shane). They live not far away from us and it was nice to catch up and share experiences. They stayed at the same bed and breakfast as us (with the steep steps) when they arrived (in June), in the same room - and the shower still didn't go!! As they stayed for 2 weeks they got to know the place and owners a bit better than us and did enjoy the english breakfasts. They told us of their adventures (nearly missing their plane, leaving a window open and getting their laptop and beds saturated in a downpour), quite different to our adventures but equally as funny. It was one of our first nights out and was enjoyable just relaxing with good company. When we were sitting at the pub (meals 2 for £8 and they were quite nice!) we saw a lot of people wandering past in fancy dress - no idea why but we were reminded a bit of the rugby 7's.
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