Friday 26 October 2007

All quiet on the home front...

Well, things are cruising along nicely. Him is still in the van but we are a lot more open with each other, and we have had some great conversations. We still need to formulate a plan to deal with issues as they arise, but we have managed to handle the couple that have so far.

We have both managed to pull our heads in instead of starting a fight and we realise what causes the arguments and try to stop them before they start.

In Him's defence, he does come out to sit with us, but most of the time we are not doing anything he wants to do, what I mean is, I am on the computer and Sam is watching some drivel on TV. So he wanders back to bed. Sometimes he will come into the computer room with me but there is only one chair and he gets bored.

Last night I went to check the emails but he didn't hear me so thought I was playing on the computer again. We had agreed we would sit together watching TV. So, he thought I was doing something else and went back to bed. I went and got him and we ended up watching TV together until it was time for him to get ready for work. He likes to stay in bed because he doesn't always sleep properly and by staying in bed at least gets the rest he lacks when he gets up.

Well, we will see what the weekend brings. Hopefully lots of time to talk and relax. We are going for a walk tonight while Jr Her goes to Karate. That will be nice. He isn't working either so we can relax afterwards. I like relaxing...always up for that...

Will keep you posted...Oh, and to all of you, thanks for your support, it means a lot.

Tuesday 23 October 2007

Relationships are hard work

Well, mine is anyway. I know it's been awhile since I added to my page. Not much has happened. Just the usual work, sleep, fight with Jr Her, fight with Him. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Until Sunday. Seems Him has been a little upset with our relationship lately, and after a day of snapping at each other, he has moved out to the caravan. He was actually going to pull the van out, and had "the talk" with our daughter saying as much.

Well, after giving it a lot of thought, he has decided to stay in the van but still in the yard for the time being. To be honest, he would probably be back inside but I suggested during a late night talk Sunday that perhaps if he stayed in the van but left it in the yard we would be able to communicate better. If we went back to normal all the old issues will still be there.

We had the opportunity to air our grievences, which helped get a better understanding of where we were heading. I get stressed because my job is stressful, then to come home and be the only person doing housework and cooking and dealing with a very pigheaded pre-teen, it's not fun.

He was feeling left out of the family, as Jr Her would go into one room to watch TV, I would be on the computer because there was nothing to watch on TV, and he was left alone in the kitchen or on the bed.

Perhaps I should explain a little further. He is back on night shift. That means we have either already left for the morning when he gets home, or we are literally on the way out the door. We try not to wake him when we get home, but often he is awake anyway, and I am doing the usual stuff - washing off the line, check the emails, take care of any phone calls that need to be taken care of, fighting with Jr her. I don't go in and spend time with him. Then I cook dinner. He doesn't like to eat too early so I put his aside and Jr Her and I eat alone. Then, I am sometimes watching TV or reading, and he is alone in the bedroom, waiting till it is time to get up and go to work.

So our paths don't cross very much. He has been working six nights a week so he sleeps on the weekend and doesn't want to do much except potter around the house.

Now, I understand he feels lonely, and I understand that he has forgotten all he ever knew about cooking. We have talked some about him helping in the kitchen or heating prepared meals for me. We have discussed spending more time together on weekends as a family, cooking or going out somewhere as well, but I think we need to actually put a plan in place.

Maybe the couple of hours we can grab tonight while Jr Her is at guides will help...

Tuesday 9 October 2007

IT Updates

So, after putting me off yet again, twice more in fact, I finally managed to see him yesterday.

The problem with that is, it wasn't convenient. In fact, my office mate had even locked the door in case he "dropped in". He stood me up on Thursday, and sent me an email saying sorry, he would be there 12.30 Friday. Well, surprise surprise he didn't show, and didn't call.

Imagine the tizz my office buddy got into. That man presses her buttons something chronic! If it weren't so enraging it would be hilarious actually. One only has to mention IT and it send her face purple. haha.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. Yesterday, about ten past ten, up he rocks, no apology, no explanation, nothing. Just waltzes in and expects us to drop everything and cater to him.

I gave him my list of expectations, most of which he just brushed off with some lame comment, which I think meant he couldn't fix them, and quickly repaired a couple of other minor issues. My office buddy was on the phone or we would have looked at her computer to see just what I was babbling on about.

We did agree that when the new edition of Office comes out this month we would look at upgrading my Mac, but at what charge I am wondering. Boss can figure that one out. We also agreed that he would look at upping the spam filters on Boss and Office Mate's computers as they get 100+ junk emails per day.

Anyway, after all this, we set a new appointment time for Monday, at which point I asked him why he kept fobbing me off. I reminded him I pay him as much as his other customers, but he doesn't put them off like he does me. What did I ever do to him? Point taken, he replies. I may fob you off again, says he, but I will phone next time. Thank you, says me.

After all that, office mate cracks a mickey, why does he need to come back at all? do we really need to set up this new programme before Boss gets back? Well, leave the IT geek to me, and I will make executive decisions. Live with it. But anyway, at the end of the day, I asked him to bring the printer cartridge with him when he came next. He sends me an email suggesting I can buy it from this particular store, and they will deliver.

I reply emailed with "Thanks for that. You told me when you dropped off the printer manual that you would look after that, that it was your job..." Will be interesting to see what he says about that...

Wednesday 3 October 2007

Why are IT geeks always arrogant?

Ours is. He is one of the most arrogant pigs I have ever met. We pay him a fortune for 24 hour service. Hah! He wouldn't know service if it bit him on the butt! And rude!

For instance, I have been trying to get him in here for well over a week. By the time he comes it will be close to two. He is unreliable, doesn't phone if he can't keep an appointment, shows up when he feels like it, and irritates my office buddy to the point where she will schedule time off when she knows he is coming.

I phoned him in September to come on the 25th. He didn't show. I phoned him on 26th, and his only response was that he was tied up. No apologies or any such thing. He promised to come on 27th. He didn't, nor did he phone.

On the 26th I had, at his request, emailed him a set of documents which we were experiencing communication issues with (I have a Mac and the rest of the world has Microsoft). He has a Mac, so of course they were going to open on his computer. On the Friday, 28th, he emailed me to say of course he could open them, and why was I sending picture documents anyway? I need to send PDFs. Perhaps, but our client (who pays our wages) asked for picture documents...Who am I to argue with them?

Anyway, on Friday I was forced to phone him as I still had not heard from him. He simply said he had car issues. Not my problem, how hard is it to pick up the phone??? He said he could come that day. Not suitable for us, come next week, and this time, phone and tell us when you are unable to come, yes? I send him a reminder email with the agreed time.

So today, about 25 minutes before the appointed hour, he phones (minor miracle!!) Guess what? He wants to reschedule because he has to be at Wingfield at 1.20. Again, not my problem and when I remind him he has put me off several times already, he laughs and says "I know"...yet, here I sit again, with a vague promise to come either at 3.30 today or "first thing in the morning". I am so angry that I am just cast aside yet again, and even that I am the one who has to deal with him as my office partner is pregnant and cannot deal with the stress levels he inflicts on her. Sigh...bloody IT geeks. So much for 24 hour service....