Doing the B.T.Shuffle…

Daughts had to work out her notice as Star Barista so that took up a whole week and we were able to enjoy late dinners in my bedroom, for the last time.

Late Dinner

When she handed in her notice face to face her boss said,

“I would hand in my keys and wave goodbye if my dream job came along!”  Sensible Daughts doesn’t want to burn any bridges, her job has been good to her in many cities, so she gave her two week notice!

Some of the customers on hearing her news, said,

“I’ve applied to work on a cruise ship too,” their unhealthy plump selves didn’t look like dancers to Daughts and she caught herself thinking, ‘really?” before realising they are talking about wait staff or housekeeping, mechanic or barman.  She has modified her news to include dancer and everyone is happy for her.

Ommm

Last week, with no more work to get in the way Daughts took a Maritime Health and Safety Course in the hopping, bopping little seaside town of Gravesend.  An hour from Beckenham.

Present in the classroom on day one were 12 males 2 females.  The classroom portion was dull, she texted me to say,

“I’m so bored!” and I hoped things would liven up once they got to the hands on training.

They did!

She had been told to take a swim suit and towel the first day and hit the water (an indoor pool not the sea!) after lunch.

They tread water, learned how to conserve body heat, learned that a lot of the victoms of the Titanic could have lived had they known more about hyperthermia, she was the lookout in the fully covered life raft, saved a person, and when they were all told to get out of the water after two hours she was disappointed.  But happiness, in they went again!  Her hands were all pruny and forget the make-up!

She LOVED it I’m not kidding!  When she arrived home, exhausted from a full day’s work she was bursting with enthusiasm saying she had never had such a swell time!  How worthwhile it was and how everyone should learn it including us!

The following day was taught by a different instructor and was First Aid and CPR.  The dummies had names, Brittany, Gina and when Bert’s chest was pumped correctly something popped out of his mouth and made her giggle.

She made a friend of the only girl, she wanted to be able to sail her own ship in the Caribbean, one of them owned a fleet of party boats, another was a mechanic for a wind farm out at sea, some sailed private yachts.  No-one else was a dancer going on a Cruise ship!

She had to stay late to learn about crowd control, which was a joke because she was the only one in the class!  Almost falling asleep after a long day she succumbed to a bottle of water and woke right up!

Day three was at a different location in Gravesend and fire practise for the rest of the week.

This was intense and the other girl got sick and missed the last two days so Daughts was it on the famale side and lead her own team through the smoke and flames in a dark container, wearing full firefighter gear and oxygen, carrying a hose and doing the BA Shuffle which allows them to feel for obstacles in their path.

“Come on Malia, you’re a dancer, get everyone on your team on synch!”

“5, 6, 7, 8!” she said!

And here are the photos!

Putting on their helmets, she’s struggling with all her hair!

Firefighter

Fully loaded!  In case you’re wondering she’s the blonde in the middle, hand on her hip!  The container is behind them.

Firefighter4

 

 

Hot and sweaty after the ordeal, which Daughts said was very frightening!

Firefighter3

Posing on her own, day two’s encounter with flames!

Firefighter2

And she passed the test bringing home 5 certificates to prove it.

“That was the best £800.00 I’ve ever spent on anything!” she said, “You should so do it!”

I think I could find lots of other great things to do for £800.00!!

 

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