It's interesting how your motivation and energy levels vary at work, and indeed in other areas of life. I've found it a struggle in the last couple of weeks at work - I think because I'm getting quite cheesed off with the waiting for the structural issues to be resolved. This uncertainty is exacerbated by an inherent instability in our immediate depot management team with one about to go on maternity leave (and already on reduced hours) and the other being a short term consultant, with several questions to be fully resolved about his role. With the issues our department faces in terms of regulation, safety and public impact (and Member interaction) this doesn't feel right.

The good news is that the Chief Officer position has now been advertised and was in the MJ on Thursday. The bad news is that they have only taken out Transport Planning so there is a huge question over the remaining scope of the role and I am not at all confident they will be able to fill it, especially given the relatively low salary for what is such a responsible role. I also wonder if any internal candidates will have another go at it. I guess they may do.

More immediately, it's been quite tiring with a run of disciplinary hearings I've been chairing, many of them serious, and leading to dismissals for the people concerned. This is where we earn our money, it's a big responsibility to take the decision to dismiss someone from their job and is not one to be taken lightly. My father was a trade union official for many years and I used to be a union rep so often find myself looking at the situation from both sides of the table so to speak. My father would often talk about his cases - this was very interesting and a fantastic way of understanding and unpicking the key points of a case. I learned a great deal from him about how to approach a case and review the salient points.

Most of this week, Andrew has been at home which has been fantastic. The garden is looking wonderful. Sweet peas are flowering wonderfully and we have bunches all over the house. The foxgloves are lovely - we have a white one which is very delicate and ghostly. Andrew continues his war against the slugs - we were out there late last night with a torch (and a very confused dog) picking them off. Andrew has decided that this is war and has ordered some nematodes by post. They arrived yesterday and have to be stored in the fridge - should be watering them in over the weekend. I will report on their success. Sunflowers (those that remain, weep) are growing well, and the gourd plants are beginning to flower.

What can i say about Andy? Last night we had an incident with a muffin which was so funny I nearly cried laughing. Andrew decided to have some soup and a muffin after returning from his evening run. We were watching "The Devil Wears Prada" which was actually quite good. The young master went out the kitchen to fetch his soup, brought it in and returned to the kitchen for muffin. Not fast enough. The naughty little mutt had swiped it and was now standing in the doorway with that "Yes, I've been naughty" look on his face, muffin still in his chops. Andrew then had a tug of war with Andy to try and retrieve it, untimately unsuccessful. That dog was not letting go. It probably didn't help that I was on the sofa, laughing hysterically, which made Andrew laugh and therefore severely hampered any attempts at Voice of God authority. Wish I had a camera on me for it.

This morning should be exciting - we are visiting the GRW kennels again (where we collected Andy) to see a possible second hound. She is a black bitch, about 3 we think. The key thing will be how Andy gets on with her. I will try and take pictures. Watch this space.

My middle aged forays into new technology continue apace. I have now joined Bebo. I still do not fully understand all the features but will have a go. For those readers who are au fait, my user name is houndmistress - you can look me up. This is so I can communicate with Liz's offspring (of whom I have written before)as being teenagers they spend their entire lives online. Sarah has posted the most fantastic dragon artwork - amazing, so talented. Katie, predictably, has loads of pictures of Cobbie, her elderly horse, her dogs and some hilarious experiments with makeup. Fun.