So many things...

Where to start, it's been so long. Well the reason that I haven't written in a while is because we've moved into our flat and it's been busy getting it ready and liveable (although we still have no heat so Cheryl would argue that it isn't quite liveable yet). It's so nice having my own room but on the other hand it's weird not having people around all the time. Now we really do have to go out a lot more. To cope with it I have just picked up some extra shifts at work. To pass the time we are thinking of getting a dart board and putting a picture of the woman in uniform on it to keep us entertained.

The weather actually hasn't been that bad considering the weather I keep hearing about at home. It's so funny when people here complain about how cold it is because I laugh and say 'Ha this is spring weather in Canada'. I've only had to pull out the hat, and mittens twice and one of the times was because of rain not cold. The other was when we went up to Loch Ness last weekend. That was cold, but it was made up by the fact that there was snow on the tops of the enormous mountains and it made it that much prettier. Loch Ness is something that you have to do because, well it's Loch Ness, but I was in it more for the drive up there. It was absolutely fantastic. The most beautiful scenery I have ever seen, certainly the best I have seen in Scotland thus far. Loch Ness itself I have to say isn't all that breathtaking. I thouhgt Loch Lommond was prettier. In Loch Ness we took a little boat cruise where they had all this sonar equipment which was pretty cool, and you kind of get sucked into the possibility that there really is something out there.
The only problem besides the weather about going out there at this time of year is that it gets dark sooo quickly this time of year. It's 3:45pm right now and it is almost dark outside. I was talking to a girl at work and she said that in December it will be dark by 1pm. And it isn't as if the sun comes out any earlier either. The funniest thing is that people always comment that they don't drink until it gets dark outside, as if that means anything at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. And they really do start drinking when it gets dark, but most places here close by 11pm unless they have a special license. I'm starting to get used to it though (starting to drink earlier that is).

My Aunt Bernie isn't going to like this next part so if she is reading this stop!!!
We went to Glasgow for our medicals a few weeks ago... I hated it there. In my opinion it isn't very nice, not after Edinburgh that is. It seems very industrial and unless you want to shop there doesn't seem to be much to do. Now as I say this I do realize I probably didn't give it due time, and I have been told by the Glasgow crew that I've worked with a few times, that I need to give it a second chance.

Speaking of work... it is going well. I've started taking overtime shifts because it's something to do instead of spending money (although we usually go out for drinks afterwards and in doing so spend money). It seems as though I'm working with a different crew everytime and it is beginning to get a little frustrating. It seems as though everytime I work I have to reintroduce myself and justify why I am here. It's getting a little tiresome. (I'm yawning thinking about it). The best shift I had Cheryl and I worked together with a fellow trainee who we occassionally go out with outside of work. I loved it!!! We weren't the outsiders!!! HAHA. The little group that we trained with is starting to form our own little group and if we can ever get organized I think we might have our own 'agency' staff christmas party. All the non-agency people keep going on about theirs, making us feel nice and excluded. I may finally have a crew though, as a few people have apparently been requesting me for their trains. It's a nice little ego boost I must say.

Oh, one of the agency staff I trained with is indeed the funniest man I have ever met. I must admit at first he was a little much but once you get over his over the top gayness you really can't help but love him. We worked together the other day and had the times of our lives. We did door service together (this is where we stand at the doors and thank the customers getting off and welcome the ones getting on). We kept taking turns saying 'goodbye' and 'thank you'. We even did a few in perfect unison. People loved us!
The best part of the ride though was when we were standing in the corner gossiping with eachother and when a train guard walked past we jumped and scurried off. The funny part was the look that he gave us. It was that 'what were you two doing in the corner look' combined with the 'he's clearly gay so really WHAT were you two doing in the corner' We couldn't stop laugh everytime he passed us that night, which made it worse for the poor guy.

Another favourite pastime at work is the people watching. Oh it's even better than at home here because I can be standing over people pouring them coffee and they talk as if I'm not there. Last night I stood and listened to a young woman propositioning her manager. The best though is when people are running, literally RUNNING for your train and when they get to the door huffing and puffing you smile at them and say 'Oh don't rush we still have another 10 minutes before we leave'. Sometimes I like to step back on the train so that they think that the doors are going to close. Last night people we're pushing eachother to get on the train like the doors were going to suddenly close on them...these being doors that swing out and need to be manually closed by the attendant standing OUTSIDE THE TRAIN BEHIND YOU. Oh it's the best. I've seen people fall off the train right onto there faces in their rush to get off. I saw one woman running for her train, loose a shoe and then fall down the stairs. Ouch. Don't worry her shoe was fine.
I don't know what these old ladies are thinking though when they pack up their kitchen sink and then try and cart it across Scotland by themselves. Sometimes they take the kettle and toaster with them too and have to struggle akwardly with all three. Oh good times.

My uniform doesn't always help me to stay invisible. Sometimes when we are standing in a group on the platform and I see someone approaching us with that questioning look on their face I go into a sudden coughing fit so that someone else can deal with it. I do love the ones who still ask me despite the red faced fit. That's when the Canadian accent comes in handy though, no matter what the question they all seem satisfied that I am not able to sufficiently answer them because I am not from here. 'Where's the toliet?', 'Just over there beside the...', 'Oh thank you dear, I'll ask that man over there...' But then he starts speaking Polish to them, but that's another story...
The best uniform story was when I was standing outside the station talking on my mobile when a woman ran up to me said "muhba haba dumba" and pointed, when I said pardon, she continued pointing wildly and saying " mahwba hawbaw dahba..." Doesn't help that I was half listening and half talking on my mobile. By the time I had my mobile away from my ear she was halfway down the walk going into the station. I looked around puzzled. I think that she was telling me about a group of men fighting, because clearly I was the one to go over and break it up, being about 2 inches taller than her, clearly not from around here, and no tazzer to jab them with. Maybe she thought #1 that because I had a uniform on I would care, and #2 my uniform gave me special superpowers to calm drunken homeless men. (Or she just thought I had some soap). All I did do though, was, in my infinite wisdom, scurry by them as quickly and quietly as I could. (Up up and away....)

OOhhhh, I almost forgot to tell my most tragic tale of the trip thus far...
After about 3 or 4 days in the flat I almost burnt it down!!! I know you are wondering how such an intelligent girl as myself could do such a thing. I'll let you ponder for a minute how I could be so stupid and careless...but before you judge me to harshly it was indeed the day from hell for me and I should have just stayed in bed.

So as soon as my alarm went off at 6am I knew that I shouldn't have taken an extra shift. They asked for someone to work it and when no one else offered I of course (being the kind hearted person I am) stepped up to take one for the team. Now the first real hint that it just wasn't going to be my day was when I was getting ready for my shower. I put my towel over the shower curtain rod and began to 'prepare' for my shower. Next thing I know the whole thing comes crashing down and my head. Fantastic. At the end of the day, when I looked back on the day I realize that it was at this exact moment that I should have said 'screw it' and gone back to bed. But I'm not a quitter.
The fire...
I push down my toast and head to my room to put my hair up. I've done this everyday for the few days we've been in the flat, coming back to add peanut butter as soon as I have that Lilith Krammer look. I hear a pop from my room, assume that it is my toast and step out of my room into the hallway which is filled with smoke (oh shit). I run into the kitchen where the toaster isn't just smoking, there is a flame starting to form from the top corner of it. Fantastic. (Stupidly) I blow out the inital flame, then unplug the toaster and turn off the outlet. I'm not that stupid and I don't blow on the fire anymore but I do look around the room and wonder what in the hell I'm going to use to quelch the rest of the flames. In all my wisdom I ran into Cheryl's room and shouted "The toasters on fire and I don't know what to put it out with" and then ran back into the kitchen. She comes strolling in, looks at the toaster, turns opens the cupboard, says "salt", then pours it all over the toaster, counter and floor. While she's doing this I realize how much smoke there is and I go around opening all of the windows, I'm still surprised that no one called the fire department. (although I doubt if anyone cared). With the toast inside still glowing red I took the oven mits and turned the toaster upside down over the sink dumped out my breakfast (yum) and ran cold water over it. The end result was that the toaster was, well toast, the counter was fine, and our flat still has the lingering smell of burnt toast. To top it off, that pop that I heard, that was the circuit going, which I didn't realize until Cheryl texted me that the fridge and freezer (which were just stocked the day before with our week of groceries) weren't working. Now my knowledge of breakers isn't very helpful when I'm at work for 12 hours so very embarrassingly to me she had to call our landlord and tell him what happened so that he could come down and fix it. Everyone I told though agrees (except Cheryl, but rightly so), that it was a faulty toaster and not me at fault. Had it not been me who did it I would point out the big sticker on our new toaster that clearly says "Not to be left unattended", but since it was me I won't bring that up.
I think my favourite part was that because of the stressful morning I ended up having a 'rough day at the office', and then when I finally got home I sat down on my bed and it broke. (but wait...) When I pulled my matress and sheets off to fix it I tripped on them and head butted the wall (don't worry the wall is fine). I ended up sitting in my bed that night eating my melted ice cream with a giant spoon.

**FYI I think I fixed the comments part so that you do not need a sign in name to post a comment, but with that being said, I'm having trouble opening the comments section***

*Some parts of this blog have been altered for the safety of others (wink wink nudge nudge)*