It’s been an odd kind of week. Foremost in my mind, as I write this, is my car. I put it in for an MOT and service on Monday, then received a message that before the MOT could begin, I should get new tyres put on the back of the car. I was surprised as it had new tyres put on less than a year ago when I bought it. It seems that the new tyres were put on without the tracking being corrected, even though I specifically asked for that to be done.

I thought perhaps, it having been a year, that I had knocked the tracking off somehow, but when the BMW garage tried to adjust it, it wasn’t possible as the parts had seized. In addition, though only two tyres were worn, they were not the standard tyres for my car and the line had been discontinued. So four new tyres and a lot of money later, I am now able to put my car back in for its MOT. I hope they don’t find anything else wrong. It’s a reminder though, that buying cars is a minefield and that even garages with a good reputation can fail to carry out the checks they ought to.

Having not had my car, I haven’t been out on many visits this week, which is a shame as the weather has been beautiful, if a little chilly. While lots of you in the U.K. have had snow, we’ve just had beautiful, clear, frosty days. It has been so cold that the head of field services in Scotland has decreed that, should we be out more than five hours on any visit, in addition to the £7 we are allowed to claim for lunches, we can reclaim £3 extra for having bought a hot drink. Sadly, I can’t take advantage of this generous offer as I haven’t been on any long visits.

On Thursday I had a formal meeting with my line manager about my attendance. Having had five days off back in July, for neurological issues, and two days off for a cold a couple of weeks back, it seems I hit a “consideration point” for my attendance. I was shocked to find that, in the U.K. civil service, this kicks in after only six days absence in any twelve month period. Six days!
The letter I received was unpleasant. It said, amongst other things:

“One of the purposes of the meeting is to enable me to consider whether to give you a
Written Improvement Warning. We will also consider whether any of the reasons for not
issuing one apply in your circumstances. Following our meeting, I will decide whether or
not you should be given a Written Improvement Warning. I must remind you that if I do
this and your attendance level does not improve within the specified timescale, your
employment with […] could be affected.”

While my line manager had assured me this was merely procedure he had to follow, it was still a kick in the teeth. Back in Norway, I was on a temporary contract when these neuro problems hit and eventually I lost my job because of it. I then spent some time in the wilderness, unable to get another job in the area, as the vet world was so small that everyone in the locality knew I had unresolved problems. (That said, my entire Arctic adventure was triggered by this, so good did come of it). However, I swore to myself I would never, ever put myself back in the position where I was likely to lose my job if my health went downhill again, so this whole experience felt unsettling.

Because of my concern, I did contact my union, who were very reassuring. The rep suggested I should ask for the neuro week off to be discounted from my six day consideration point. Having a five day absence in July meant that even one day’s absence before next July would trigger another letter and meeting. In the event, that didn’t happen, but instead, HR have agreed that my consideration point should be raised to twelve days instead of six. I hope I don’t need them, but having worked three days from bed last time I was unwell, for fear of triggering this kind of event, it’s good to know I have a couple of days grace, should I need it before July.

Last week, I only posted about the first half of my holiday. The second half was just as enjoyable. It was a gentle week, with morning tours, lunch out, then restful afternoons back in the cosy cottage. On Wednesday, we went to Egglestone Abbey, which looked glorious in the late autumn sunshine. Those monks certainly picked a beautiful place to build their home!

Thursday saw us visiting High Force waterfall, which was spectacular.

Friday morning was spent exploring the grounds of Raby Castle.

All in all, it was a good week, though I may have to take a shorter trip next year, to see the gardens we visited in their full spring or summer glory.

Anyway, if you’re in the U.K. and you’ve woken to some weather (freezing rain, driven by wind here from an inspection through the window) stay warm. I wish you a good week, and thanks for reading.