the HOFIT: December 1999

Sunday, December 26, 1999

Chase Farm

Happy days at Chase Farm Hospital early in 1993. Working alone at the time, I was in my element, really.

Saturday, December 11, 1999

09-Dec-92. Went to meet Brian Cross at Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield. It seems that I can start on Monday! Went out for a recce the following day. It's too far to commute from Burnt Oak to Enfield.The bus journey was not direct and took too long! Four changes and cost £ 2.15. Went into Enfield to find place to stay. Looked in the local paper and found something that might do.

11-Dec-92. Took over the keys to a single room at 39 Chase Green Avenue, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 8EB. It'll do for me, and it's within easy walking distance of the hospital. Cheap anyway. £ 130 cash as month's rent in advance plus a £ 130 cheque as a deposit.

Sunday, December 05, 1999

Edgware

Imed infusion pumps at Edgware ready for casualties being flown in from Bosnia to the hospital at Watford (1992). These were done as a rush job one Saturday. Needless to say, the regular guys did not volunteer!

Friday, December 03, 1999

21-Jul-92 at Edgware. 21:30 met Joe about taking flat at 1 Southbourne Court. Paid 8 weeks rent £ 960. Next rent due 16 August. Joe is going away for a six month programming contract for North East Electricity at Nottingham. Lucky guy!

Wednesday, December 01, 1999

One More Trip to the Well

A pilgrim in search of the Truth at the Chalice Well near Glastonbury Tor in 1992.

About Me

After forty years working in the engineering support of medical equipment, and in new hospital projects both in the design office and "at site", I now consider myself semi-retired. Following army service in Hong Kong, UK, Germany and Saudi Arabia, I worked in Saudi Arabia (a further four times), Nigeria, Jordan, Oman (twice) and the UK Health Service. My earning skills have included hands-on installation, repairs, maintenance, inspections and technical support of medical equipment. Together with advising on biomedical engineering generally, planning equipment layouts, producing equipment listings, writing specifications, and assisting architects etc. These days I live as simply and cheaply as I can, and (as far as possible) on my own terms, keeping my hand in by repairing or refurbishing medical equipment or doing inspections and maintenance work, sometimes for charity groups. But what I enjoy most is developing computer software, as a quirky and obsessive coder happy to be immersed in thorny problems for months at a stretch. "Free as a bird", and without any permanent address (generally moving on from time to time), I still jog as often as I can.

the HOFIT