Monday 29 June 2009

International selection

This weekend I spent time with 40 girls who wanted to be selected for international trips. As usual their abilities varied but, in the main, they were all capable, friendly girls who we would happily send abroad. Some were exceptional and a few, only a few, were just not ready. In one case her mobile phone was obviously far more interesting than anything we were doing!

Now, when you go abroad you are likely to come up against unfamiliar food so the challenge was to produce some that they looked at and weren't quite sure about. A Philippine friend of mine had prepared black sticky rice for them. This is simply a rice pudding made with coconut milk but it is very black. Actually it tasted very nice but more than half tried about half a grain of rice and said they didn't like it. Several, when asked what it was, suggested it was poo (now where in the world do they eat poo if they aren't a dung beetle?). If we had been more upfront that it was competitive and not everyone would go abroad, I wonder whether there would have been a different response - I suspect not, sadly.

I would also like to say Thank you to all the people who came to the weekend especially Ann Wright and Hannah Roberts who gave up their entire weekend.

Sunday 21 June 2009

Count to ten!

My week has been a series of highs and lows! Blues and Twos was brilliant of course but there have been some moments when I just wanted to scream and smash things. Usually I contain myself to slamming a few doors. I can't go into details on any of the situations but the thing that really, really p***** me off is when people accuse me of acting dishonestly particularly when I have gone out of my way to check my steps out and the situation is not of my making. To be accused of cheating, being deliberately disruptive or anything if there is a grain of truth is one thing, but not if there is absolutely no grain of truth.

However, there is a lesson I have learnt over a period of time and that is to count to ten before replying and then waiting a bit longer as the steam may still be coming out of my ears even after ten. Then I can plan a proper reply - usually involving what my father calls a "Save Your arse" file where evidence is gathered to support you if the situation ever arises again. Fortunately, being unkeen on the phone and being an avid emailer and writer, I can usually build a satisfactory audit trail.

My goodness, it was cathartic to get that off my chest!

Blues and Twos Day - brilliant all round

Yesterday we held a "Blues and Twos"Day for Brownies at Herons Wey with the Ambulance Service, Fire Service, Police Dogs, RNLI and Fake wounds. It was fantastic and here is why:
  • 500 Brownies paid to come
  • They had a brilliant time
  • The weather was fantastic
  • The VIPs were very impressed
  • Everyone worked together well
  • Lots of money was raised for the water fund - and we gave leaflets out with the badges
  • The closing was the arrival, for a few minutes, of the Air Ambulance (with some rather good-looking personnel in the top-gun mould)

Once again I am in awe of how some people just get on and do things - Enid excelled herself again - she is now on a well-earned holiday.

Wednesday 17 June 2009

Royal Ascot and phone calls

I've been to Royal Ascot as a guest - in a box (just as well as the wind really whistles through the grandstand). I had a lovely time - 1 winner and 1 2nd: £3 down on the day which I consider pretty good. Don't think I am a gambler but as an occasional day out it is quite fun.

I have also had a few phone calls from potential County Administrators. Lovely ladies all of them. I am going to really hate the bit where I have to say "you were wonderful - but we preferred someone else" - I hope they won't all resent me afterwards!

Friday 12 June 2009

Swings and roundabouts

People come and people go! As I am in the middle of making appointments (Chair of trefoil, Guide Adviser, Brownie Adviser...) I also find myself about to re-recruit for County Administrator. Sadly, Julie has decided to move to east Anglia with her family. It seems houses are much cheaper than in Surrey and, with her husband self-employed, they can move more easily than other people. However, that means we will be looking for a replacement. So I will be looking for someone who primarily has a big smile (or sounds like they have), are very organised, don't mind working on their own, must be able to cope with lots of people asking them to do things, who doesn't mind working part-time and term-time but is prepared to spare some evenings for County Exec meetings.....the job ad will be in the Weekly News but I know people read this and I want to make sure anyone who might be interested hears about it. If you are interested then contact me on countycommissioner@girgluidingsurreywest.org.uk

Thursday 11 June 2009

Transport

The Tube strike was an interesting experience yesterday - I usually walk to my office near Victoria from Waterloo. It takes about 30 minutes but is good for my soul and good for my heart. Yesterday, there were far more people walking; many of them clearly suffering with sweat running down their faces and the realisation that flat shoes may be uncool but uncool is good in some circumstances.

However, in the afternoon I had to travel across London to Tower Hill. Thinking I would be clever, I booked a cab. Unfortunately just as we set out they closed Whitehall which had a knock on impact on Westminster backing up to Victoria. A half hour journey took three times as long to do. I was very,very late so I only had ten minutes with my client before they had to leave.

On my way back I popped into Tower Hill tube in case there were any trains - and there were. I almost had a train to myself. At Embankment the Northern Line was running so I got to Waterloo very quickly.

For the rest of the week I am going to work at home!

Monday 8 June 2009

Feast or famine

It's odd isn't it? Last week I had very little to do but this week I am struggling to fit in everything. Running a training course takes me away for two days and then another day will be spent pulling together a proposal - a colleague was doing it but ran out of time. Then I need to go into the County office and meet a new Commissioner. As I only work 80% that is my "day off" (for which read "Guiding Day"). So that leaves one day to do everything else including to read and test a new training programme. No-one seems to be able to tell me how much time that will take so I think I might make a start now while I am sitting in a hotel room on my own in Nottingham.

Tuesday 2 June 2009

Project Streamline

If you haven't heard of Streamline and are part of Surrey West then you obviously aren't getting the Weekly News - or reading it - or IT literate, in which case you aren't reading this.

Yesterday I went to a Streamline training and can I say that, in spite of the slightly slow response rate, it is really rather good. It involves putting details on the GO! database and that means there will be a bit of a job to do in September but after that it will be great! Easy emails! No more paper records. Leaflets online.

Go to a training - now!

Georgina