Post Comment Love 15th-17th September 2023

Welcome back to #pocolo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week and all we ask is that you leave a comment on either mine or Stephanie's post which you linked up through and at least one other post. We'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

I'm away this week in Surrey working at The BMW PGA Championship Golf. I'm working as a TV assistant out on the golf course capturing sound working with feature groups. I walk the course with the golfers up close from the tee to the green capturing sound for the TV feed which is provided for The Golf Channel and Sky. We often 'go live' to a shot or a player, so I have to be 'on the ball' continuously, so I have to pick up all 3 shots for each hole, which can involve a lot of running and an occasional lift on a buggy. I've also got to avoid the cameras. I work with a camera crew, but there are cameras on the course and other camera crews that just pop up on the course. Tee shots are the easiest as I have time to get on the tee in time. The fairway shots can be spread out and the green shots are tricky, trying to avoid the bunkers, the cameras and find the right spot to get all the sound.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting next week.

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Working on the DP World Tour

I started volunteering with the DP World Tour in 2018 whilst living in Dubai and have had a variety of roles from marshalling to Anti Doping and spotting.  I've also been fortunate to have been paid for some of this work with the TV from sound recording, scoring and more recently driving the camera crew around, making sure they get dropped at the action on the course, then getting out the way of all the other cameras and photographers.

There are loads more opportunities for work, however, it is salary only, no travel or accommodation provided (apart from during covid when working in a bubble). It's also Thursday to Sunday and now I'm working in a school I'm not able to either do the whole weekend or I can't get back in time for work on the Monday morning.

I'm on he tour list for Dubai in November, so watch this space. I'd love to go back out for this event.

In the meantime here are the photo's from the Cazoo Classic this weekend in Southport.

Clothing from previous events, plus waterproofs.

Fairly easy to operate

Sheltering from the rain

Keeping out the way of the cameras

My view on most holes

Hiding the cart from the cameras, between green and next tee

Week 29 One Daily Positive and Project 365 Summer

We really enjoyed the hot weather at the start of the week, it was nice to have the doors and windows open, enjoy a cool breeze and benefit from the temperature difference in the shade and not be blasted with cold air from the air con.

Although temps did equal those in Dubai, the biggest difference was that ours were only for 2-3 days, not 2-3 months and the temperature in Dubai doesn't drop below 30c during the night. It's nice to experience though, but not to live in those temperatures full time, like we did.

196 Saturday Up early, dog walked and off to Bath for the day collecting MIL along the way. I was surprised at how quiet the M5/M4 junction was and Bath City Centre itself. Home around 5pm and evening spent watching the golf on TV.

197 Sunday We had a lie in till 8am which is good for us. I finished booking all our upcoming trips and sorting insurance out and did some general tidying up. We went out for coffee and a food shop. A friend came round in the afternoon/evening for a BBQ.

198 Monday A day of just pottering around and another BBQ for tea. I read a book and had a few cat naps. Took Bob down to the local stream in the evening.

199 Tuesday More pottering, packed for my trips away, started a new book, some blogging and was looking forward to the light rain in the early evening, but we only had 12 rain drops in an hour.

200 Wednesday Back to work via the swimming pool. It was enrichment day and I ended it doing some Bollywood dancing in the hall. Went to opticians for hospital referral for double and blurred vision. Evening spent round the neighbours folding their washing and popping balloons with the kids, then home to do the ironing and watch the tv.

My uniform for the Commonwealth Games arrived.

201 Thursday Last day of term and the whole school walked the Malvern Hills, I walked with a colleague, chatting to students along the way. We covered 20,000 steps and it took 4 hours. Home to collect bags and a 4 hour drive to Southport for the golf. I wandered down to the Pier and bumped into a guy from Dubai who works with the tour over there. he wasn't here for the golf but with his family on a day trip, small world. I ate fish and chips for tea and bought some fudge, was asleep by 10pm.

202 Friday  Woken at 4.30am by the seagulls, reminded me of living in South Africa with the Ha De Da dawn chorus. Back to sleep, then showered, out for a walk and coffee. I headed off to the golf early to collect my accreditation and sat and read my book until TV call time at 2pm. I finished at 8pm, soaked through and cold and had dinner at Wetherspoons, then back to the B&B showered and bed.

On the blog this week:

How much spare time I have and what I do in it.

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5th - 7th February 2021 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie and I and who would've thought February would ever arrive?

Sorry I was late with the commenting and post sharing the past two weeks. As is typical for me, it's all or nothing with my life. I've had a busy week with the golf in Abu Dhabi, then back in the UK unpacking 99 boxes of our life back into our family home.

It's so very strange putting things back in the same place they came from 10 years ago having moved to South Africa then back again via Dubai.

I've obviously been isolating for the past 10 days. I'm allowed out tomorrow, but will only be going dog walking. I may try an actual shop next week, but I suspect I'll be doing click and collect from now on.

I've got to sort out pet/house sitters for mid April till end of June so I can return to Dubai to sort an internal move and spend time with my husband. No idea if I'll be allowed back in or out again and now we have to be prepared for a 2 week hotel stay (at our expense) if required. Fingers crossed it's still PCR on arrival otherwise I have to drive to Bristol for private testing.

Nothing runs smoothly for us, EVER. I've linked up this week with the unpacking saga and share with you some tips on how to move your furniture abroad. You should know me by now that it won't be a practical step by step guide like the 'experts' regularly share.

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2021 Week 4 - Back in the UK and fully vaccinated

I flew back in to the UK on Tuesday. The flight and arrival in Birmingham went really well, there was an incident in the lift at New Street where I stood my ground and refused to allow the lift doors to close until a couple got out as they were either unable to read or process why I wouldn't let them in until I told them to fuck off, firmly. It was lovely seeing the snow on the ground. I'll be able to leave the house on February 6th. Technically I can now as I have an exemption letter, which I may use to walk Bob in the early hours of the morning, but I've no real desire to go anywhere. 

I'm grateful I have the room to move boxes around and decide what I want to unpack and in which order. I've placed an Ikea order for some display cabinets and started my quest for another house sitter for March. I've also ordered another food delivery for next week and once I'm out of quarantine I'll use the click and collect service.

23 Saturday Child 4's birthday, he turned 26. WTAH? I can't be old enough for this? The cut was made at the golf today and I went out with the penultimate group, a couple of players had a bad round and yes, I knew about it. Only walked 17.500 steps today as opposed to almost 30,000 on Thursday. Had a bath, down to the bar for a drink then had room service dinner. I packed ready for check out in the morning.

The club house at Abu Dhabi.

24 Sunday Last day of the golf, I have a lovely 'golfers' tan. White feet, V neck shirt and short sleeves. Started the day with a PCR test to comply with the rules in the UAE for this event and ready for my flight on Tuesday.

Winner Tyrell Hatton and Caddy with 3rd placed Rory McIlroy. There was a pot of $8 million up for grabs.

25 Monday 2nd covid vaccination today, took around 2 hours. Rest of the day spent tidying and packing and just chilling out. When Peter finished work we popped to the local mall for dinner and had an early night.

26 Tuesday Up and out the house by 4am. The airport and flight was good, arrival in Birmingham was excellent with all the communication, checks and social distancing, caught a train home, had a minor confrontation with a couple until they got out of the lift. Met the house sitters on the drive at 3pm, they left straight away. Cat and dog were pleased to see me, house looks ok. In bed at 6pm.

My travel clothing.

27 Wednesday Woke at 3am, cleaned the kitchen cupboards, surfaces and walls/doors. The downstairs loo and hallway. I unpacked my suitcase, sorted out some bills, made a list of jobs that need doing. The food shop arrived and I unpacked a small chest of drawers so I could put a few things away. In the evening I just chilled out in the evening on the sofa in front of the TV.

I keep forgetting I'm owned by a cat and it just keeps appearing without warning.

28 Thursday Another early morning, drank tea, did some blogging and forced myself to stay in bed till 6am, then showered and got properly dressed for the day. Spent the day unpacking boxes, moving things, discovering broken items, cussing, sleeping, eating and repeat. 

Every box is labelled, glass or books and either kitchen or living room, nothing makes sense and stuff from the shed has ended up in the same box as stuff from the spare bedroom upstairs.

29 Friday A similar day to yesterday and progress is being made. Had a phone call from Public Health England, very friendly bubbly voice telling me to isolate and what to do if I have any symptoms. Would be more effective if they just said 'stay in or get fined'. 

These books were my dad's from his childhood, they were upside down in a box in the shed marked steel. Hopefully I've rescued them from the damp in time.

On the blog this week:

Further developments in Uptown Dubai and the Super Tall Tower with #MySundayPhoto

#PoCoLo Post Comment Love - a weekly linky I co host

My Winter COVID Vacation in Dubai

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Week 3 2021 One Daily Positive - The European Tour Bubble

The beginning of the week was medical appointments, followed by 4 nights in Abu Dhabi for the HSBC Championship Golf with the European Tour. I'm staying in Abu Dhabi only 45 minutes down the road as I have to move into the official bubble to comply with the Tour rules. So many rules to follow, but happy to do so. Not allowed out of the hotel other than to and from the golf course, all meals to be eaten outdoors or in your room and no socialising with more than one other but outdoors and at a distance of 2 meters. Exercise of 1 hour a day is permitted, but no access to the hotel pool, however I will be spending the 4 days walking around the golf course, so won't need my hour.

16 Saturday We ventured out on a 6 mile beach walk, ending up in KFC for lunch, then home to bed for me for the afternoon as my back was killing me. I didn't venture onto the rocks.

17 Sunday Follow up appointment after last weeks surgery, all good. Then a trip to the nail bar and hairdressers. In the late afternoon we went for a walk around the Marina.

Flamingoes at City Walk.

18 Monday Dropped Peter at work then off for a PCR test ready for the golf, collected Peter after lunch. Afternoon spent resting my back, then evening out at Bluewaters for dinner and to see the light show.

19 Tuesday Follow up appointment with the Doctor about my back. He decided to focus on my neck injury from 25 years ago saying that unless that is sorted I will continue to have a bad lower back due to poor posture. Yes, yes, I know this and NO I don't want more tests, they've been done many times, every Doctor offers to cure me, giving me false hope then at the end tells me the nerves are damaged and can't be repaired and once I learn to accept the chronic pain things will improve. Duh! I just need some physio and short term meds every now and then to get me back on track please. 

20 Wednesday Off to Abu Dhabi, PCR test at Golf club then checked into hotel. I have a 1 bed apartment for the week, very luxurious and not a bad place to be isolating for the next 12 hours. Ordered room service, will be able to eat outside on the terrace the rest of the week.

21 Thursday Early morning start due to the US TV audience at 5am, however it was foggy and the golf was delayed for 3 hours. I walked round the course twice almost 30,000 steps with the last golfers having to finish half way round due to poor light. Back to hotel around 6 .30pm, I had dinner, a bath and was in bed by 9pm.

Current Leader Tyrell Hatton -12 Par

22 Friday A lie in, breakfast and off to the course for 10am, another PCR test. One and half times round the course, 24,000 steps, back to the hotel at 6.30pm and after dinner and a bath, I was asleep by 8pm.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, viewed from Breakfast terrace.

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - The view from above of Dubai Water Canal.

I'm fed up of not knowing what I don't know until I don't know I need to know it.

Post Comment Love - a weekly linky.

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Working on the European Golf Tour for the Race to Dubai, during Covid.

I've been volunteering with the Golf in the UAE for 3 years now and have had some amazing opportunities from working with the anti drug testing, marshalling, as a spotter and working with the TV Production team with scoring and recording sound, which you can read about here.

However it's all been very different during covid, no crowds, just minimal hospitality, coaches, a few partners of the golfers and caddies plus agents and sponsors around the course, meaning it's been quieter than usual and with few distractions, I'm really getting to enjoy the experience a bit more.

An empty Village, normally full of food vendors, tv screens and bean bags.

Usually this space is open for viewing the 1st tee from the stands which aren't here this year.

There are two bubbles, one for the golfers, caddies, European Tour Team and everyone who has flown in for the event, which is called the inner bubble are all staying in the Atlantis Hotel. Us volunteers, who live locally are in the outer bubble. We have separate toilets on the course to use and restricted access to certain areas, our lanyard colours give indication as to who is inner and outer bubbles. We're also temperature checked every morning and have daily online forms to fill in, we can't travel on the golf carts and have a separate bus between the TV compound and the course.

The Race to Dubai has the World's top golfers playing for a share of $8,000,000 and is part of the Rolex Series. I'm walking round with the top players with a live TV crew recording the sound of the caddies speaking to the golfers, up close and personal on the tee's, fairway and edge of the greens. It's hard work, the kit weighs around 3kg with the battery packs, I have an ear piece to get instructions and to be able to radio back in for a ref etc, head phones so I can hear what sound I'm picking up, then add a mask, back pack with food and drink, sunglasses and a hat and I'm my own game of buckaroo or if you're older, I could try balancing a cabbage for my own episode of Crackerjack.

For the regular readers of my blog posts I know a lot of you don't follow the golf, so have no idea who I'm talking about, well I don't play golf either and I rarely follow it the rest of the year due to lack of access to the golf channels here in Dubai and the UK, but I'm learning fast. the rules, the players and even matching up family members and caddies now to the players.

A list for the day helps.

I know who plays the greens slowly and who takes their time with the tee shots. I know which players get a little upset when they hit a bad shot and those who like to have a laugh with their team mates when they're walking down the fairways. But it's a serious game, with a lot of money at stake.

There is little interaction from the players towards us, minimal conversation from them and barely a thank you at the end of 18 holes. I'm not sure many of them are aware most of us are volunteers though.

Recording sound is great fun, you get to walk right up close and personal with the players, it's rare to be within 2 meters of them anyway as you have to keep out the way of the cameras and quite often there can be 3-4 per hole. Trying to find your position to record the sound on the green, away from the cameras, out of the sight line of the golfers without walking on the green is tricky and I'm often having to sprint ahead to get into position, then they over hit and you have to just stay completely still and watch your shadows at the end of the day.

The worse thing that can actually happen is for a golfer or a caddy to ask you to move as you know you've got it wrong, thankfully that hasn't happened to me yet.

Some of the golfers and caddies don't actually realise how much you can hear with the mic. Quite often I'll laugh out loud and they'll ask 'did she hear that?' 'Yes I did'. I've heard some great stories as I've walked alongside, behind and even in front if the wind is blowing in the right direction. The sound is fed back to the studio, I point at their faces when they're lining up for a shot, the ground when they hit the ball, then the crowd for the applause.

I also pick up comments, personal stories, breaking wind and sometimes comments aimed at me in an attempt to knock me off balance and make me blush. (I'm the mother of 4 adult males, they must try harder) Some will deliberately swear so they know the sound won't be used and try to encourage me to walk with the other golfer. 

I won't be repeating the stories on here or social media, no one has ever told me I can't but ethically I know it would be wrong.

Week 50 - One Daily Positive. The Race to Dubai with The European Tour

Our tree went up on Saturday, half the decorations are in boxes in the UK and I figure you can never have too much at Christmas anyway so I bought a new tree topper and another set of lights. I'm seeing many of my friends are having issues with which family they see over Christmas. For the past 10 years since we've been abroad, family haven't included us in their plans anyway and prior to that the kids would always go to their other parents for Christmas Eve and return Boxing Day night. However our kids are grown up now, with partners, married and child of their own, living close to their in laws, so even without covid on the scene, I don't think much will change for us. 

We're looking at booking a hotel stay for the Christmas period, usually we go out for a brunch, but a few nights away will do us both some good and we'll unwrap presents when we get back for the New Year.

341 Sunday I spent the day at home, I finished decorating the tree and tidied up and hoovered all the glitter and stray bits of tinsel.

342 Monday Off to the Drs for my pneumonia jab, meds and a blood test, then onto the hair dressers and nail bar.

343 Tuesday Festival City Mall in the morning to do some shopping, sent emails to all involved in regards to the shipping but everyone passing the buck and blaming each other, I collected accreditation ready for the golf on Thursday and in the evening we went to Global Village for dinner. It's all outside, but we left at 7.30pm as it was getting too busy for us.

344 Wednesday I spent the day at home, getting no where with the shipping. I swept and mopped the patio and garden and in the evening we went to the Polo club for quiz night and dinner, which we won (again) We were outside all evening, this is the beauty of Dubai at this time of the year.

345 Thursday First day of the golf and with the TV again. The Race to Dubai has the World's top golfers playing for a share of $8,000,000 and is part of the Rolex Series. I'm walking round with the top players with a live TV crew recording the sound of the caddies speaking to the golfers, up close and personal on the tee's, fairway and edge of the greens. It's hard work, the kit weighs around 3kg with the battery packs, I have an ear piece to get instructions and to be able to radio back in for a ref etc, head phones so I can hear what sound I'm picking up, then add a mask, back pack with food and drink, sunglasses and a hat and I'm my own game of buckaroo or if you're older, I could try balancing a cabbage for my own episode of Crackerjack. Today I walked round with Victor Perez and Christian Bezuidenhout.

346 Friday Golf again and out with Tyrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood, ranked 10th and 15th in the world. I caught too much sun and had a headache, we spent the evening watching the Queen's Gambit, it's really good.

347 Saturday Golf and out with Lee Westwood and Branden Grace, evening spent in front of the TV. Last day of the golf tomorrow. 

On the blog this week:

I think TV shows should be doing more to represent the current situation with Covid, some soaps aren't even referencing it. What's your thoughts on it?

Construction Photography - The pods are on the World's Tallest Ferris Wheel in Dubai

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How to be a scorer for golf on the European Tour - The Race to Dubai

I've been volunteering with the European Tour in the UAE now for 3 years. I've worked as a marshal, a spotter and last year I was asked to record live sound of the players talking with their caddies, the noise of the ball being hit and the sounds from the crowd.

I've volunteered at the HSBC Championships in Abu Dhabi, the Omega Dessert Dubai Classic in Dubai both in January, then after a world tour, the golfers meet back in Dubai for the Race to Dubai for the finale tournament of the season. I've met some amazing other volunteers, some of the biggest names in golf, their wives, families and friends and I have some amazing opportunities

I don't play golf, my husband does, but I love watching most sports and prefer to see it live rather than watch it on the TV.

In my first year, I struggled to recognise most of the golfers, but the only thing I need to know about them is what colour shirt they're wearing, which caddy they're with and this week, I've had to pay attention to how many times they've hit the ball, record it and radio back in to the Production Team the number of hits, as I've been working as a scorer.

The golfers are responsible for their own scores, it's quite a big deal that they record it all correctly, but scorers are required for the studio discussions and the television feed. To inform the studio of the order of play, whether a player is taking a difficult shot from out of bounds or the ref is required for a drop shot or they're about to putt for an Eagle, 2 under par. It allows the live feed from the TV cameras to be broadcast to make for more interesting viewing and not to miss the best shots.

It's a new role for me, I tend to pick things up very quickly, it's been easier to learn with their being no crowd due to Covid, so it's quieter on the course with no distractions. This week it's the Golf in Dubai Championship, 1 of 15 new tournaments on the tour, before next weeks Race to Dubai finale, who knows what role I'll be working on then, I had no idea I was scoring until the first day on Wednesday.

One Daily Positive - Week 5 The last of the golf and I move to the UK

Well it's been another typical 'Suzanne' week. All or nothing? This year has started with ALL and looks like it's going to continue like this for the foreseeable future.
I loved the golfing experience working with the TV crew over the weekend. Up and personal with the golfer with a large mic, working out the wind direction. I picked up a lot of gossip and personal information as well as quite a few blue jokes, in an attempt by the golfers and caddies to make me laugh. They know I'm there, they ask for it to be switched off, or go silent and keep walking away from me or chat none stop. I just smile and follow them around, often running between golfers before they line their shots up and ducking out the way of the TV cameras. It was hard work, I walked/ran  miles, all with a 15lb battery pack strapped to my waist and a large mic. If I needed the loo I had to enlist the help of others as the mic fed a live feed back to the studio and like I said, it picks up every sound.
I have a list of future dates given to me if I'm interested, in the UK and around the world, which would be paid and with travel and accommodation.

I've ended the week exhausted, every part of my body aches

26 Sunday Dropped mum at the airport at 5am. Last day of the golf, working with TV again. We had a sandstorm, high winds and heavy rain out on the course. As the golfers move up and down the leader board so do the TV crew. I was pulled off the 11th green and relocated back to the 7th tee box, meaning I walked an additional 4 holes. In the morning I watched Sebastian Soderberg complete 18 holes in 1 hour 39 minutes, the fastest round on the tour. The eventual winner after 2 play off holes was the Australian Lucas Herbet, who I'd walked round the course with the previous day. Stayed for a drink after the presentation then got the metro to the local mall where Peter and child 5 were having dinner and they gave me a lift home. Straight to bed and sleep.

27 Monday Took Peter's car to the garage, then onto the Mall fo the Emirates to catch up with some blogging and did a food shop. Afternoon spent tidying, washing,  and lying down on the bed in between.

28 Tuesday Dropped Peter at the garage to collect his car, then onto hairdressers and nail bar. Popped in at a friends for a short visit,  got a new wiper fitted to my car and came home to get the last few bits and pieces ready for the cat and dog. More washing, changed the beds, and filed some paperwork. Took Bob on a mammoth walk.

29 Wednesday Took Bob for his last walk in Dubai and then him and Pushkins onto the vets for their worming tablets, last piece of paperwork signed, off to State vet for chip scan confirmation and handed the cat over to the relocation agent and took the dog to the kennels for the next 2 nights before his flight. Home to finish packing. We went out for an early dinner.

30 Thursday Didn't sleep well, had a headache and brain was full. Last minute tidy up for Peter, hand luggage packed then child 5 and I headed off to the airport for our flight to the UK. Collected car hire and drove down to Malvern. The work carried out on the house hasn't been to a standard I was happy with, but at least it's mostly visual and not dirt.

31 Friday First morning back in the UK, popped out to buy a washing machine, made calls to book, plumbers, electricians, window and oven cleaners. Drove down to South Wales to check on the flat and rental agents progress. Saw the Things, mum, my friend and the twins, other friend and called in at child 2, 2a and our granddaughter 2b. Home late.

1 Saturday Brexit Day, all looks the same out the window. Cat and dog's flight landed on time and they were processed, collected and delivered to the door. They seem to be settling in well, Bob keeps sitting by the door as if he's waiting for Peter to arrive. They both explored the house and settled into their beds. The cat is using the carpet on the stairs as a giant scratch pad. Friend and neighbour called round. Took Bob for a walk, he was so excited to be out, he dragged me around. Bath and an early night.

On the blog this week:

Preparations for moving to the UK, getting jobs done around the house

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