Monkey (and ferret) business

For some reason, this week at work we've been having fun and games (though not the amusing kind) with locums... *sigh*

First off is J. who is one of our solicitors. He's currently on holiday and has left a trail of devastation in his wake as it pretty much looks like he buggered off for two weeks having not done half the things he should have done. That which was done on his caseload seems mostly due to his power of 'delegation' (a.k.a. 'getting other people to do my work for me') which would be fine for him if those other folks hadn't started talking in his absence and compared notes. How his return to work on Monday goes will depend on who gets to him first - the boss or his disgruntled colleagues - but either way it's unlikely to be pleasant. He was covering a senior post so the fact his boss has basically been doing his job this past week and ignoring hers means I think his days are numbered.

And then there's M. who garnered a bit more sympathy when he went off sick two weeks ago, because he was having problems with his marriage. This week, I basically ended up doing half his job as well as my own, because there was stuff that couldn't wait, but that's an occupational hazard. The sympathy evaporated abruptly about half an hour before end of business on Friday when he emailed his manager to say he wouldn't be coming back. Ever. Seriously, dude. At least have the cojones to pick up the phone!

In happier(ish) ferret news, it may be that Dougal knows more than he's letting on about the forthcoming winter, since he's grown a winter coat which makes me think he's preparing for a new Ice Age. When I can find some batteries, I'll try and get some photos of the monster he's become because he's literally twice his summer weaselness.

No television comments (apart from a nagging concern about the possible impact of the WGA strike) because I'm way behind on everything... However, I'm now up to book #72 for the year - The Snake Stone by Jason Goodwin - fear my reading fu! Previous books read since my last post (late September) are:

The Weavers of Saramyr by Chris Wooding (excellent)
End of the World Blues by Jon Courtenay Grimwood (say what now?)
Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold (excellent)
Moonshine by Rob Thurman (pretty good)
The Eye of Jade by Diane Wei Liang (meh)
Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard by Kiran Desai (good)