back up North

Well, I'm off again tomorrow, up to Scarborough, a special little in between fix of North Sea to keep me going 'til next Summer. It's the NAPO (probation staff union) agm, and I'm going with my friend Ann, and someone she knows better than I do, called Eleanor. It will be good on many levels. The journey up together, a day early, time to relax and be in Scarborough before the conference chaos begins...being by the wild North Sea, in my favourite season; crashing waves and frosty sunshine. Having a break from everything else, being back with my friends from the probation mothership, especially Ann. Oh, how we suffered together and how much she helped me through the training, particularly in talking sense into me when I nearly gave up! It will also be good not having to persuade and threaten the malingering teenager to school in the morning. it will be good not stressing about my dad and having a break from the dad rota, and...there will be dancing!!!! On Friday night there'll be a group teaching ceroc and jive, with a live band. I've packed my dancing shoes! Another live band plays on Saturday. It will be hard stopping myself jumping on a bus to Whitby while I'm there. Not forgetting lots of debate. I think particularly this year on the future of probation and the current state of a service originally designed to 'advise assist and befriend' offfenders in the hope that they wouldn't do it again!
It will be brilliant, but I'll miss home in its last few days before building chaos begins!