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Hey its Friday... & in arrears!
Posted 6/20/2008 2:11:09 PM Friday 16th May Well the project has ground to a halt and all work has stopped! Asbestos was discovered on two pipes and underneath the floor of the Stirrer cabin, the Unions have called in Work Safe, the Australian HSE who have instructed that all work on the entire site, including the parts of the plant that are still working, to stop work. Before the project started the site was inspected and known sources of Asbestos were identified and removed; suspect materials were tested to prove what it was. During the project all areas were monitored for asbestos fibre, to date these tests have not detected a single fibre. The asbestos that was discovered was located in inaccessible areas; the stirrer cabin is just above the furnace and during normal operation it’s far too hot for anyone to go. Everybody on site must go on a one hour Asbestos training course; over 400 people must go through this training! After that the pipes and the cabin must be removed but after that we don’t know what’s going to happen, we are still waiting on Work Safe to give further instruction. No body has a clue when work can resume! Last night we ate Kangaroo, Skippy to be precise! When we eventually found the place, it appears no taxi driver in Melbourne has a clue where anything is, we got out and waked but Mark couldn’t remember where it was. It was a bit embarrassing because he had been there before and the fact it was right next to the huge town hall building which he had failed to notice the last time he went! But back to Skippy, I found the meat incredibly tender and rather tasty!
What were you doing last month - Ongoing arrearsness!?
Posted 6/19/2008 1:07:25 PM Wednesday 13th May Success at last, I’ve got a new pair of boots and I can now walk without winching, grimacing or swearing woo hoo! I nearly got a coat but alas the cupboard was bare, well there are coats there but they are XXXXXL :o). Tried to get one from the stores but the Phil the store man was instructed by the Project site manager to tell me to sod off… I know this because the Phil had him on speaker phone. Charming hey… I will remind him of this when it rains at the end week, that’s if the weather people get the forecast right! Had an experience last night, and not a comfortable one at that. We were all walking back from the restaurant last night; I needed some money so I left the group just outside the hotel to go the local shop over the road. I got the money and I was walking out of the shop, I saw this man standing outside, who gave me the creeps and he was looking across at me funny, more looking around and sideways at me. I walked quickly past him, walked across the crossing without waiting for the green man. As I’m walking along the other side of the road towards the hotel I see him and he’s walking across the road cutting the corner so to speak. I still don’t feel right about him, and I quicken my pace but I get the feeling he quickening his pace to keep up. I get to the hotel door, which is card access after 930pm, and swipe my card. He’s there to the side of me opening his wallet… on the one hand you would think is he opening his wallet to get his access card or he just pretending; my gut is not feeling good. Once the door opens he walks straight in and says hiya mate to the man behind the desk. He walking towards the lifts and for a second I don’t want to go to the lifts, I hang back but I go thinking I’m being daft but I still don’t feel good. Gets in the lift and before I push my floor and he pushes the 8th floor… which is my floor! A couple then walk into the lift and they push a button (the 5th floor as it turned out), so the doors close and up we go. As soon as the door opens (I’m closest to the door), I’m out off to what I thought was my room… no wonder my card wouldn’t open the door it was 515 instead of 815! The couple walk past me and the lift continues up; realising my error I went back to the lift to get to my floor. No other person is on the 8th floor including that man, I swipe my door and in I go. Now, he might have been a guest or a resident but the whole situation didn’t feel right, at the end of day I just don’t know. (Recent edit – The guy turned out to be staying at the hotel) The meal we had that evening was very good, we had walked into China town and had Ti meal, I had a ginger and chicken stir fry which had nice strips of ginger, lots of ginger kick (licks lips). Washed down with a bottle of beer, and me being a good boy I only had one, normally that’s hardly believable but I really did only have 1 bottle!!
Writing in arrears...
Posted 6/15/2008 4:09:04 AM Saturday 10th May Up to now I have worked 50 hours this week, by the end of the day I reckon I will have done 56 hours. I get Sunday off for good behaviour though we finish early Saturdays. I’m supervising the purging of the natural gas pipes today, not the actual doing of the work because I liaise with the foreman to over come any problems i.e. they can’t get access to an area of the project due to other groups, so you sort out the issues with the other engineers in charge of the various parts of the rebuild. Monday 12th May Most of us went out Saturday evening around the Beswick area of Melbourne, where we ate a brew pub called James Squire (which isn't in Beswick but on the waterfront)… and the food was spot on. Talking of food I’ve not had a bad meal since I’ve been here, the food is always top quality and very tasty; especially with beer… which leads me onto the rest of evening… beer! Eventually and after eating this chicken wrap thing I climbed into bed at about 0530, well I’ll be the first to admit it was more of slumped rather climbed :o. You can guess how Sunday panned out… When I finally emerged from my room four of us met up and had an Indian meal, at place you would walk past which wasn’t wider than 6 foot wide. The plates are metal and had segregated sections and you can have selection of meal and vegetable curries. It was also very cheap… they had one special deal were you got 2 naan, 3 meat and 2 veg all for $14… or £7! Of course it was washed downed with one, one I might had, one bottle of beer! Today has gone alright, my left boot has now decided that my left foot has suffered enough… wish it would inform my right boot of this rather agreeable principle i.e. pain free walking.
Anyone for a pint of pure blonde :p
Posted 6/13/2008 2:02:58 PM Tuesday 5th May Well you would have thought that Australia was hot and sunny and presently experiencing a drought… but no, in fact its bloody freezing and it has rained today. At the moment its warmer back home! The big day on the project starts tomorrow when the glass ribbon is cut and the furnace starts the slow process of shutting down. The next big step is to drain the furnace of glass; it’s more like scrap heap challenge. They are going to drill through the side of the furnace to let the glass flow out via two pipes, using water injection the molten glass will be deposited into a skip, the water will be cooled via a series of skips and a heat exchanger before being re-used. The typical work day is 0730 to 1830 Monday to Saturday (though Saturday its typically 1400), from tomorrow there will be over 500 people working on the project and it will take 20 weeks to complete. In the apartment is a gym and swimming pool on the 18th floor, though I haven’t ventured up there yet. We are going out tonight to the kangaroo bar for dinner and drinks, last night we went the Blue Train bar. Prices are reasonable; one pound is worth 2 dollars!! Thursday 8th May I’m starting to feel more settled on site now; I’ve got the layout pretty sorted in my head though it’s increasingly hard to get around the site due to areas being cordoned off while specific work is being carried out. The worse part is the fact my boots are killing my feet, going to get another pair Monday as my feet are sore and blistered… the works issue boots are going in the bin, the toe box is far too narrow. I quite like the Australians, they appear to be hard workers but are so relaxed, nothing seems to bother them, got a big problem? “No worries” is the reply! I do at times struggle to understand them because they are so softy spoken… hate to think what they make of my accent!! They are all up in arms about petrol prices and how expensive it is, petrol is typically about $1.40 a litre and diesel is $1.60 a litre, which translates into 70p a litre and 80p a litre!! If they want expensive they should go to the UK! On the motorways you can undertake and overtake, Lorries are allowed in the fast lane and the speed limit on them is 100kph and 110kph or 62mph and 68mph. My work load ramps up next week, that’s when the I control the closed circuit cooling water system, furnace gas firing and the services re-routing for the coater building, which will involve knocking down a two story building inside the furnace building.
General: Writing one month in arrears... 2!
Posted 6/10/2008 1:08:34 PM The continuing saga of my past month in Melbourne.... Sunday 4th May Well my flight from Dubai to Melbourne was very long, at one point after having had my “evening” meal, slept for several hours, and watched a couple of episodes of Heroes on my media player, that I looked up to see that I've still got another 3 hours to go!! Finally got off the plane 0530 local time had to fill in an Incoming Passenger Card and present that and my passport to immigration control. The form wanted to know amongst other things: Have you spent time in Africa or South America in the last 6 days? Have you spent time near animals or a farm in the last 30 days? Have you any food? Cooked, raw, processed etc Do you have TB? Do you have any wooden objects? Ornaments etc How long are you intending to stay? That was just a few of them, if you say yes to anything you have to declare it, so I declared my Uncle Joes Mint Balls lol and the cakes my girlfriend sent me! I didn’t have problems, though they asked if the cake had any bananas in them, which they don’t have so I was ok. They didn’t search my case but I did have the Uncle Joes in a plastic bag so they must have been happy with that. Got picked up in a large Holden Caprice, I found out the driver was originally from Chicago and has been in Australia for the last 24 years! The hotel is good, the apartment has got a microwave, an oven, tumble dryer, washing machine and an ironing board for those dull moments when ironing is appealing... *do they actually exist?!*. Found out all together there are 15 of us here in Australia, we are meeting up at 700pm to go out and eat…
General: Writing one month in arrears...
Posted 6/9/2008 2:12:12 PM Right I wrote the following on the stated day but I have only just placed it on here... It describes one day in the month of May where I worked in Melbourne Australia. My experiences, thoughts and feelings of my trip pan over the next ten (ish) entries. Why the "ish"ness, well I couldn't bothered to count how many entries I actually made. Saturday 3rd May. I got picked up in a rather tasty Volvo with full leather seats and my driver was called Russ, there was a fair bit of traffic on the M6 crossing the viaduct but that was due to the M56. I got into Manchester Airport early and I checked in, there wasn’t much of a queue for Business Class check in. The business lounge was an experience, complimentary drinks be it beer, wine or spirits and a range of soft drinks. Cakes and sandwiches were also available. Once on the plane the space available was impressive, could stretch my legs out without touching the seat in front. Again a full range of drinks were available, a full 4 course meal was available though I only had the main which was a spicy lamb dish. The flight was trouble free though I did get in the wrong seat as I miss read the seat number symbol!! The first thing that hits you when you get into Dubai is first the yellow hue of the sand but very closely followed by the heat; 27oC. The airport was very busy but the main thing that got me was the bad temperedness of air travel!! People milling all over the place bumping into each other, blood pressure rising; at first I started to get angry with people but after witnessing a couple walking in front of me especially the wife. She was getting more irate by the minute getting caught on someone’s scarf then tripping up over someone suitcase and calling out angrily, I swiftly came to the conclusion that air travel isn’t great at the best of times so why make it worse by getting angry. After that I went with the flow. Oh one more thing… people are incredibly nosey! Always looking to see what you’re doing!! I'm now waiting in the business class lounge after finally finding a seat, though it was the my second attempt of gaining access to a business class lounge, the first one was full and I was directed to the one I am in now (which of course had to be a 10 minute wall away!). My flight is scheduled for 1010 at gate 20, though I am keeping eye on any change that might pop up… like the time I was in Amsterdam when they changed my gate to ALLLLLLLLL the way across the airport; a 45 minute walk! Before I close this chapter I wish the fuckwitt that keeps looking at me to F*$K off! :D
Back in Blighty!
Posted 6/1/2008 2:02:07 PM Thought I'd post something... I have written a private blog describing my last month working ein Melbourne, Australia... with hindsight I should have posted it here duh! Then again that would have meant my mum reading my random thoughts on here. Thought for day... some things you wouldnt dream of saying to your family but we are quite happy to let potential millions know them when posted online?! Thats if they are bored enough to read such ramblings lol
Uncle Joes mint balls...
Posted 1/23/2008 3:43:27 PM My interview came good, they offered me the job woooooooooo hoooooooooooo. Going to accept it. What more can I say?!!!
Another cuppa perhaps???!
Posted 1/19/2008 7:57:08 AM Mmmm... I'm all of a bother... on the one hand I've convinced my boss that he should change my job and what he says about the future sounds pretty impressive (nothing has changed yet but there are plans and what not). But on the other hand I'm waiting on the outcome of a job interview (which by judging by the feedback I got I impressed them woo hoo). This new place seems exactly what I'm looking for, and all round I will learn and develop more than I will ever at my existing employer. This new job (if I get it) will possibly give me a real chance to be Chartered Engineer and gain some proper project engineering experience rather than the back of fag packet experience Im going to get if I stay where I am. Should I wait for my existing job to come good or should I jump ship and take this job IF IF IF i get offered it of course. Oh balls to it....i will worry about it when I get an offer and not before!! More pissing rain...
General: An easy peel orange with a glass of water
Posted 12/22/2007 9:25:21 AM Well.... *blows dust off my blog :$*.... tis a sunny cold December Saturday afternoon and I've finished for Christmas woo hoo. No more work till the 3rd January, bring it on baby :p Oh the futures looking bright concerning my job again, if you don’t like your job talk your boss round to changing it is what I say!!! Still not out of the woods yet but at least I've got someone interested in doing the role. Oh what do I do? :$ Never good at explaining me lol, well my title is Mechanical Project Engineer and I’m supposed to be doing projects i.e. putting new processes and equipment into the factory where I work. That’s what they said on the interview but upon arrival I find out I’m the foreman to a bunch of fitters and planner for the maintenance department as well as the project engineer :S Been in my new job six months and after a month I was looking for another job :o.... been looking ever since and I've got a job interview in the new year :D.... but in the meantime I've been talking my boss round to the idea to changing my job. I need a little helper i.e. a charge-hand to deal with all the maintenance requests, give jobs out to the fitters and plan the weekend work while I can do what I was suppose to do... project engineer the manufacturing process! So Eddie who is one of the shift fitters has shown interest in doing the role.... now need to sit down with my boss to agree the money :| Anyway, congratulations Dani on the birth of your second son!!
General: Sunday and its raining again...
Posted 7/22/2007 11:28:09 AM Mmmm... I'm bored. Got work tomorrow...my new job is basically 3 jobs in 1....Project Engineer, Mechanical Foreman and Mechanical Planner... and the interview only ever said Project Engineer mmmm. Im getting used to the place and the people, mostly the people are good, some erm are different...well ok one is erm.... has issues but the rest are ok. Got 7 people working for me which I didnt think I was going to have, if I knew when I took the job...well first of all I wouldnt have taken the job, but more importantly I would have approached the first couple of weeks differently than I did. I only found out about the planning part of the role at the start of last week, I've been there 7 weeks! So three roles but only one wage...going to try for more money after my 6 months review, can always hope lol ahem.
Sun-dried tomatoe and chilli
Posted 6/9/2007 7:37:14 AM Where to begin, not posted on here in a while must be a month or so. Ok I can't be bothered reading when my last post was! My new job is... different, nothing like I'm used to, which I suppose is a good thing as I can approach it from a fresh perspective. I've had my odd doubt this week but I've only worked there 3 and 1/2 days so still early doors. That doubt went when I saw the new contracts that my former colleagues are having to face, oh yes I made the right decision. Had a great and fab weekend just gone... 4 days of sex and good company. Roll on the end of June :p
Kwok.... two in the fridge!
Posted 5/4/2007 1:30:43 PM Well in the life of Pandy some earth shattering events have unfolded, in the big scheme of things they are nothing to get excited about. Namely I have resigned from work and accepted another job... yes yes nothing exciting to the rest of the world but heck it means something to me!!! Ive worked at Crosfield/Ineos Silicas for 14 years :o) Met some good people and had a laugh all the while... the management didnt think I would ever leave and they would carry on stringing me along with false promises... 5yrs worth is enough to piss you off, oh to see the engineering managers face when I called his bluff lmfao... ha! he thought he was calling my bluff, when I called his bluff hehehehehehe! Thursday was a very strange day, people in work kept coming up to me to shake my hand and say congratulations and that its a good decision you've made. Im going to miss the people but not the place.
Butter Fried Potatoes!
Posted 4/26/2007 1:08:59 PM Oh my word! What a turn up from yesterdays thoughts on not getting redundancy.... ok they gave me a "maybe" answer today, as maybe you can go, but I have a meeting next week to discuss it further. Its now not a case of will they give me redundancy but do I want to take redundancy as I can swing it either way now. For once my destiny is mine alone to decide, ok its always been my choice but never to leave with redundancy money. Ive got the offer of employment from one company and another job opportunity has arisen... who knows the future hey!?
Is my glass empty again :'(
Posted 4/23/2007 1:50:10 PM I survived the exploits of Saturday woo hoo... and noooo hangover... very tired though... as I experienced both 4 o'clocks in the same day lol
Crystal Clear Water.... bring em on!
Posted 4/21/2007 10:29:18 AM A night on the tiles tonight beckons... must locate my red paint brush... must have left it in Leeds ;-) I have visions of my last hangover :'(... with the immortal words never again ringing in my ears... it wasnt me honest it was the other alternate ego pandy. Must be the one whos there when I cant remember quite where I was and what I was doing in the early hours of night/day. Im sooooooo out of practice...now dont laugh Dani...either that or Im getting old in my old age ;'(
General: Rose Danjou
Posted 3/22/2007 3:08:07 PM Dont you just like a drop of the old wine to warm the cockles of yer... well whatever the bits that go warm... :o) Well everything in planet pandy has gone rather well today... me wonders whos getting all the bad luck instead... hope its someone I dont like lmfao. Seriously someone is going to be some what disappointed in the next week or two... and I havent a clue whos it to be... to stay or to go.
General: Cranberry & Macadamia
Posted 3/16/2007 11:30:55 AM Woo Hoo I have a job interview! Next Thursday to be precise...now just need to slip out of work ahem... :p Cant be that cheeky though can I...waits for dani's comments about me being sooooooo cheeky, I positively refrute such accusations(A) :P Its the earthly delights of chinese food tonight... the damn and blast about it all is the fact Im on call and cant drink, all the while watching my colleagues get drunk and merry... ho hum :o)
General: Uncle Joes Mint Balls...
Posted 3/15/2007 2:53:04 PM My Dutch weekend went rather well I thought... the flight was great and I managed to get a train from the airport to Assen without getting lost at all... most impressive Dani don’t you think??!! The horrors of pigging signs for Sutton have not been forgotten... oh and the exploits of THAT bar in Leeds lol. My friend picked me up at Assen train station though I had to wait an hour in the cold and rain until she finished work. Spent the evening in Groningen where my friend lives, again rain featured rather heavily :| The following night was one of the most bizarre nights I've ever experienced though bizarre it was rather enjoyable. My friend who is Scottish managed to find a Dutch Scottish Heritage Group, basically a bunch of Dutch people loving all things Scottish. Its kind of a burns night supper come Ceilidh come all things Scottish. Picture the scene... a big Dutch bloke wearing a kilt (now the tartan is his very own, registered to him!) and traditional shirt. Who is stood over the haggis reciting Robbie Burns in Dutch! The most enjoyable part of the whole evening was the dancing, and what a crack that was; I really enjoyed myself! Spent the following day walking around Amsterdam...you guessed it, in the rain! As is the custom the walk around the red light district...the prostitutes in the windows were no oil paintings, more like a bulldogs chewing a wasps... ahem.
General: Finally did it!!
Posted 2/22/2007 3:44:37 PM An unusual day... a day I didnt think Id ever have. Not under the terms of a life or death moment or experience just that fact that I, yes me...loyal employee of the last 14 years has asked whats the chance of voluntary redundancy?????? Asked me on the 1st of this month that I would have emailed personnel about redundancy.... i would have said your having a laugh mate! :| Still rushing about.... between fixing my parents computer to packing my suitcase, oh I hate packing :@ What can I possibly forget this time :'(
Super Bock
Posted 2/21/2007 4:21:50 PM Why am i always in a rush???? Last minute, yep thats me lol. Still not packed, not even decided what suitcase to take never mind what clothes... ho hum. This weekend should be good, flying out to Amsterdam Friday morning then making my way to Assen by train later in the afternoon. My friend has already mapped out where shes taking me... though Saturday night will be interesting. A scottish appreciation group which is a mixture of Dutch people loving all things scottish and ex-pat scots. Oh where does my friend find these places... Must remember to ring Tom tomorrow, must sound convincing... must sound like im hyperactive and bouncing off the ceiling lol, its so not me but I must play the game of the happy camper job seeker!! Yes Im ready to leave my job IF the right job opportunity arrives, but not for the pure sake of leaving... now if I could get redundancy.... just need to volunteer :o |
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Pandy 
Pandy: A Northern twanged cheeky person, works with pumps, drives an ornament ooo and is the font of all boy information! Says spankydiva all rights reserved. Still got a weakness for mini eggs... Age: 35 Gender: M Location: Great Britain
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Wyvrx 1/19/2008 8:10:19 AM  Myspace backgrounds Pandy 12/27/2007 11:09:46 AM Ê¥µ®¿ìÀÖºÍÐÂÄêºÃ Hows that then Dani? lol Pandy 12/22/2007 9:48:38 AM Yes though only by some distant cousin removed:D magicalmysterytour 12/22/2007 9:17:28 AM Merry Christmas. Is Father Christmas related to Santa Claus. joeschmoe714 4/25/2007 3:20:53 PM depending on what kind of phone you have, you can set it to turn 3g off and save mass amounts of battery life. check out www.howardforums.com for some information Pandy 2/22/2007 3:49:38 PM Hi, oh you can blame ariane for me joinging lol waywardlass 2/22/2007 4:20:57 AM hello Please login to post a comment. Blog Categories Archives
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