Freeeezing!!

It is currently -11C outside right now and guess what?  Yep!  Another day of being trapped in and not able to work.  It's so strange really.  It's like the whole city is shutting down, sort of thing.  Yesterday my Greens Gym opened at a later time of 8am (usual opening time 6:30am) and then it closed at 9:45am due to weather conditions and low staff numbers.  Then later in the afternoon I went to town and wanted to pop into Wesley Owen (Christian store) but when I got there around 4pm there was a sign saying they were closed early due to the weather!  What?  Lol!  I guess in this sort of environment safety for staff is very important.  Many workers cannot make it into work because of they have been snowed in, cannot start their car, broken down on a journey, or even being stuck on the motorway gridlocked.  It's a shame that this country seems so ill-prepared to take on the winter weather.  This is the third winter which we have had problems and this year is by far the worse, definitely!  This year is by far the earliest snowfall we've had since I can remember.  Something's wrong here guys.

Blessed

I've not been to the gym since last Friday and feel kinda slobby.  However, in order to not let myself go I still watch what I eat (currently munching on my leftover pasta with chicken and a few chicken dippers) and trying to keep active.  I don't like being "trapped" at home and so for the past two days I've been venturing out town.  I think I might do that again today.  Not sure as it is much colder today and buses might not run again.  Lol!  Yesterday I was very blessed by God on my journeys to and from town.  I managed to catch a 40 bus across the road from me by trotting quickly towards the bus stop but making sure I didn't slip.  Then in the evening I was fortunate the bus driver had let me on another 40 bus whilst stopped at traffic lights a few yards beyond the bus stop that I didn't manage to reach on time.  I didn't want to shout for the bus driver's attention as it drove away albeit slowly from the bus stop.  That would have been so embarrassing.  Lol!

Dedication

For the past few mornings my mum has gotten up extra early for work.  She works in McDonald's and has a fixed shift of 7am-3pm Monday to Friday's. She usually takes the 6:20am bus from Dennistoun into city centre and makes it into work around 6:45am or 6:50am.  However, due to the current mess of the transport system, she walked to work yesterday!!  She told me she got up just after 4am and did her usual stuff to get ready for work then started to walk out to city centre whilst wrapped up with jacket, scarf, gloves and these really nice winter boots Cat bought for her last month.  She said she tried looking out for buses but none showed up so she walked it.  Man, that is dedication for you!!  There were several of her workmates who live not far from us, maybe a mile difference or something, who called into McDonald's and said they couldn't come in to work because the trains were off or cos the buses were not running etc.  The manager then asked my mum how she got in, and at such early time as well.  Mum told them she walked it.  Now mum is 54 years old and she has arthritis and sore joints that comes with her age and she is such a fighter that she won't let anything stop her from getting to work and serving the company.  I really hope the managers can appreciate my mum for her efforts in helping them out.  Currently my mum is the hardest worker in that branch of McDonald's and this was reflected in her personal review a couple of months back when she was awarded the highest percentage of wage rise in the whole branch.  It's still not enough in exchange for the amount of work my mum puts in.  Her hourly pay rate is still too similar to those workmates who skive and slack and don't put in as much effort.

You may be wondering why I don't give my mum a ride to work instead of letting her walk.  There are few reasons for that.  Firstly, the roads are incredibly icy, especially first thing in the morning once the overnight frost sets in.  The car takes a long time to defrost and right now I've not moved the car since Monday morning after I got back from being stuck in a snow ditch =(  I think I have knackered the car after all the wheelspinning etc.  If the road surface was more manageable I'd definitely offer to take mum to work.  In fact, I'd try to persuade her to let me drive her.  Because, as I said before, she is the strong-willed fighter type of lady who prefers to do things herself without "troubling other people", even when I insisted in taking her to work there were occasions we sort of almost got into an argument where she would resist me over and over again.  I know I couldn't force her into the car, that would look dodgy to the people walking by, seeing two Chinese people screaming and shouting and then a guy pushing a woman into a driving tuition vehicle.  So wrong in so many levels.  Lol!!  Anyway, I am truly thankful that God looks after my mum and that she reaches workplace safely.  One of the things she did when walking into town was she sang and hummed Christian songs that she remembers.  Awww bless her!  =)

To-Do or not To-Do

I'm usually really busy with work and my list of 'To-Do' builds up and gets sorted at the weekends.  However, I've been off work for over a week now and I don't seem to have a lot done.  This is mainly due to the weather. Since Christmas is coming up and Nick is also leaving for Singapore soon, there is lots happening this month and I find I have lots more to buy this year.  Here's my current list of 'To-Buy' which I hope to get all done before 19th December:

For others
1) Leaving present
2) Christmas present for Cat
3) Christmas present for Mum
4) Birthday present
5) Secret Santa present
6) Baptism present
7) Cards to go along with each present

For me
1) Longjohns
2) Something from Perfume Shop - tentative cos it is still v.expensive after it's discount

But when will I find time to go out to town and get these things?  The cold weather really puts me off and makes shopping and walking around a real drag.  I might just brave it and go out again today, take the bus and get an All Day Ticket for £3.75 and then just go back and forth then.  Hopefully the buses will be frequent enough.  Fingers crossed...