2nd March

We have a data network installation company foisted on us by Essex CC. ECC are renting the top floor from us and have decided that they want a different company to install their data/phone network. The people they have appointed are areal shower of s@@t. They keep insisting that they want to drill into the ceiling or floor of our server room. They don't need to. I tell them so. Their a@@@@@e of a manager sends 10 emails trying to persuade us. I eventually tell him that he will do what we want. Such wasted time and effort!

This is supposed to be a quiet day. I spend some time tidying up paperwork, writing reports and preparing change control notices. Necessary time as the auditors are almost certain to come back to find out why we're later than planned and why it has cost more to do the refurbishment than originally planned. The project documentation is brought up to date.

I get dragged into the debate on the furniture for the councillors rooms as well as the chairman's office. Not an area I'm really interested in but it's gotta be sorted out so I agree to put together a specification of what's needed. Boring.

Cherie and I have been asked to put togethera presentation to the managers conference on a particular aspect of the ICT contract (partnership working) . She writes up the presentation and notes and I add my tuppence work. She doesn't really need me as she's bloody good at this stuff - certainly better than me with a great gift of the gab (she could talk for England!). I read through what she's done and make some comments (patethic and otherwise - I like to think they are incisive and to the point!).

I leave earlyish and finish my book on the train on the last stage. Good timing! This is such a good read that I would have dreaded getting the timing wrong - I would have felt stranded if I'd finished it too soon.

Get home to find Mirabel chatting with Marian. Lovely surprise. Haven't caught up for some time so its nice to see her. We chat and discuss the idea of meeting up with her and Warren on the weekend. Could be fun!