General catch up.

3 page views in the last month.  No body read this anymore!!  Generally I can't be bothered to blog about the everyday normality.  It's usually boring.

Joel had an operation on Tuesday.  He had his usual eye check up under general anaesthetic.  He also had his ears drained and Grommets inserted which will hopefully help and develop his speech and his hearing.  We went in at 12 and we were out at 6.  So it was quicker than I thought it would be.

Still not heard back from Derby uni.  Although it now looks like I'll be getting into more student debt with tuition fees being raised.

A couple of weeks ago I went to my Grandma's house for the day with my mum.  I went to York on Friday evening, to my Grandma's for the day on Saturday then got the train home on Saturday evening.  MY Grandma is 92, old and tired!  She broke her wrist at New Year.  This really shocked her and knocked her confidence.  Her children have persuaded her to move downstairs in the her home.  So the dining suite is gone and there's a bed in the dining room.  She has a cleaner, a gardener and a neighbour who does her shopping.  She was having carers for a while but I think she's stopped them or is going to no she's got the pot off her wrist.  My mum's been going over most weekends this year.  This is hard for her as she works full time then it's an hours drive each way to my Grandma's at the weekend.  I've got a free Saturday in a couple of weeks, so I might offer to go with her again.

I might add to this later, but right now I need to bath Joel and put him and Esther to bed.

PASSED!!

I eventually PASSED my driving test, first time with only three minors.  :-)  It should have been mid December but it was cancelled in the ice and snow.  It should have been last Wednesday but I had my lesson before and turned up at the test centre to find out it was on Monday.  I change it to the Wednesday on-line so something went wrong with the on-line booking.  On Monday it was cancelled because it was -6, ice-y and frosty.  I went on to the website to rebook it and there was a cancellation for Wednesday or the other available dates were the beginning of March.  So I went for the cancellation but felt bad for messing my instructor around and because he had to change and cancel lessons for me.

My lesson before my test went well.  I asked my instructor to take me through a set of traffic lights that a friend failed on last week.  I can see why she got confused by them, but I think it was her driver error rather than the lights really being confusing.  I had to do a 3 point turn, which was good, that's my best manoeuvre.  Had I been asked to parallel park or bay park, I'm likely to have made a silly mistake due to nerves, pressure or stress and failed.  As it was I did that well, but got a minor for observation i.e. not being observant enough, which my instructor said was a bit harsh.  Then on the independent driving I stalled twice, one after the other, but only got a minor that.  Then the third minor was for either parking opposite a junction or for forgetting to signal one time when I moved off.  However I'm really glad it's over and that I passed.  I'm no insured on our car at a cost of £35ish a month more than what Paul pays for himself.  But with spending less money on bus fare and not paying for driving lessons it should be ok.  I've not been out in the car on my own yet, I was a good girl today and walked to the children's centre like I normally would.  I think I'd only drive somewhere that close if it was raining heavily.

So there you go I passed first time at the grand old age of 28!!

Maybe back to uni

So, slight change of plan.  I've applied to Derby Uni to do Social Work Part Time from September.  I intend to do first year part time over 2 years, then second and third year full time when Esther starts school.

Why the change of plan?  I decided it might be better to do undergrad social work  rather than postgrad social work because I think it'll be better for the children if I do it more spread out, less work, less intense.  If I do postgrad social work it's just under 2 years, full time, I will have to do it in Nottingham, it will be hard work, quite intense and I assume more stress.  I think doing undergrad will fit in better with family life.  I reckon first year, part time as a mature student has got to be a doss!!  So we'll see if I get an interview and a  place.  I can get a bursary for my tuition feeds, but will have to pay my childcare.    So here's to hoping and praying I get a place!  :-)

It was snowing Friday morning but I’d decided what I was going to do and was determined still to do it, lol, silly me.  Took Joel to nursery and went to Asda and town then picked him up from nursery.  I got everything I wanted apart from some shoes for Joel in the Clarks sale.  Silly though as I got cold and wet, but I got my jobs done, lol.  Just house-y stuff and looking after children on Friday afternoon. 

Friday was mine and Paul's 10th anniversary, 10 years yesterday since we started going out.  

This morning was my turn for a lie in.  :-) So I got up at 10 and did not a lot.  Paul took the children to do a couple of jobs, buy a new cat flap and buy a part for the tumble drier.  So on having the house to myself I went back to bed and read my bible and notes :-) After lunch I went on a bike ride because I need the exercise.  I did 5.6 miles, in 35 mins approx, not bad.  So that’s two bike rides this week, a good start to the year.  Now I just need to do the healthy eating to go with it, not doing so well on that bit.  Apart from eating mash potato and a bit more veg instead of oven chips, if that counts?! 

As is usual for me at the moment I am ok but bored.  Life is caring for children and house-y stuff / jobs and that is not enough for me!  A friend has moved from Osmaston / Allenton to Spondon so I may be able to go to the Wednesday aqua fit now with her as she’ll be driving over there.  I’ve only made it to the Tuesday one once because it’s been cold, dark and wet and I couldn’t be bothered to make the effort to get there. 

I was thinking about jobs and interviews, I thought I’d had 7 interviews in the last year but I can only think of 6.  I thought I’d had 6 for children’s centre jobs but maybe it was 5: North / South Chaddesden, Kirk Hallam, Becket, Alvaston and Pear Tree.  The other one was for a social work training scheme.  Can’t remember what the 7^th one was, maybe there were only 6.  But in all of them I was not good enough and beaten by people with more experience.  But I’m stuck in the rut of I can’t get any experience because no one will give me a job!!  I was reading about the government cuts to day and more specifically for Derby City Council.  My chances of getting a job now are even slimmer.  So roll on the Hope Centre opening and I hope there’s plenty for me to do!! 

I’m hoping and praying that LH has coped and survived today.  It’s 2 years today since her mum’s brain haemorrhage.  I know she will have struggled but I hope she’s ok.  I’m sure I’ll find out soon, next time I catch her on Facebook chat.  I’ve been thinking about her and praying for her.  Kind of wish I was with her today, but we talked and in the end decided she may be better off with her local friends today as it’s them she needs to talk to more than me at the minute.  HINT, HINT LH!!  I’ve thought about her a lot today though so lots of love and hugs being sent your way hun. 

And now again as usual, my bed is calling me.  

Ouch!

Paul came off his bike twice this morning, then gave up and walked home.  He was only a couple of streets away.  Roads that are normally gritted hasn't been.  He was a bit shaken up, 3 minor bruises  / scrapes and a bigger cut / bruise on one leg.  he's generally ok though, thankfully.  Also good that nearby cars stopped in time / weren't going fast.  He cleaned his cut, got changed and went to work in the car.  He was late, but he had a good excuse and because he was late he was able to give me a lift to nursery to drop Joel off and a lift into town saving me and Esther getting cold, waiting for the bus.  I'm sorry he fell of his bike and hurt himself, but I appreciated the lift into town because he was late.

So me and Esther did a bit of shopping.  Really pleased with bargain price Clarks shoes in the next size up for Esther only £5.  Didn't find anything for Joel though, unfortunately.  Going to try the other Clarks shop.  Also bought Esther 2 tops as she got a top and skirt set for Christmas and the top is too small but the skirt fits so bought a couple of different tops to go with the skirt instead.  Then went to St. Peter's church toddler group.  Esther was really independent today, going off to play and not needing me.  And I say this regularly, toddler group is always good for a bit of normal conversation with adults and friends.

Didn't do a lot this afternoon.  Chatted to a couple of friends on face book, watched a bit of iplayer and did some housey jobs.  It's the 5th anniversary since CF's dad died, so a hard day for her.  But I think she's ok and showing how she still takes time to remember her dad but she is moving on as well.  Also chatting to LH, it's nearly the 2nd anniversary of her mum becoming ill.  I think, well I know she's struggling, so lots of prayers I've needed there.  I've offered a couple of times to go up, but she's said no.  She's coming down hear in a few weeks anyway, so I'm looking forwards to that.

Joel's had a good first couple of says at nursery.  And Joel and Esther have been reasonably good this afternoon, well an improvement on Tuesday anyway.  Generally I'm ok but bored and tired.  Looking forwards to the new year and whatever it has to bring, it has to bring something new and interesting.

Bored and fed up!

Bored and fed up and we're only 5 days into the year.  Argh. The children were being horrible yesterday. Getting things out then not playing with them. Getting weetabix out and all over the sofa. Every time I tried to do anything they fight or trash something. Paul's mum said she was coming over after she'd dropped the girls off at school, which I took to mean 9.30/10. I rang her at 10.30 and she's not coming til 11.30, which is annoying. I wanted to go out at 10. Then I was fed up. And when I was trying to persuade Joel to eat the rest of his breakfast and he knocked the bowl out of my hand and it went all over the carpet. I was not impressed.  My coffee pot that I got for Christmas broke.  I rinsed it in hot water then the bottom broke on it while I was drying it.  I couldn't even make a decent coffee!!  We had a good couple of ours and lunch at soft play though.  But then the children continued to make lots of mess (more than usual) when we got home.  I went to Asda when Paul got home.  I bought myself a new coffee pot, a dishwasher safe one this time, hair straighteners - just cheap ones to try out, new drinks bottles for the children, 2 new bed sheets for us and some food!  So being at home today was pretty pants!  


Today was better but it was Joel's first day back at nursery.  He had one strop before breakfast because he didn't want to put his uniform on but he was fine after that.  I had a driving lesson then an hour to myself at home (bliss, even though I only put the washing away in peace).  Me, JPJ, Joel and Esther went to DM's for lunch so that was good for chatting and adult conversation!  Esther was clingy when we got home which was annoying because I didn't get as much done as I wanted to.  


The bottom line is I'm bored!  I want a job either paid or a voluntary one at church.  However I do not want a job that I'm over qualified for or an unskilled job.  I want a paid job that is a decent career move.  And in the current climate they are few and far between.  But if I'm working voluntarily for church, I'll do anything, skilled or unskilled, for church I will do a job I'm over qualified for.  But role on something I'm bored of not doing anything.  

Hair Straighteners!

Had a friend from the church toddler group over today and she comes to church on and off as well.  It was a relief for her to be out and about I think.  I think the school holidays are stressful and hard work for my friends that are single mums.  Also not all of my friends who don’t have cars can be bothered to trek out to my house on the bus.  But Paul was off today so he picked them up and took them home.  I don’t want to expand too much on here but her 3 children are a handful for her and I think she finds being a single mum quite stressful and at times depressing.  But I hope today was a break from the norm and a good chance for us to chat and catch up. 

I went into town this afternoon to spend my Christmas voucher and money.  I got a pair of jeans, a cardigan and 2 tops in Dorothy Perkins and a jacket in Next.  So I’m pleased with that although I daresay my clothes critics and fashion advisors (NT, DM & GPJ) won’t approve of my choices, lol. 

Anyway on to hair straighteners.  I’m considering buying some.  I’m still wildly rebelling against the idea of using hair straighteners because everyone else does, to fit in and because straight hair is in fashion.  But I’m fed up of my frizzy messy hair and at least it might look half decent if it’s straight.  Also I think I look like my mum did at my age with straight hair.  So we’ll see.  I had a look at the in Boots today, but I think Asda had a better off on them on or I preferred the Asda ones.  I can’t quite remember.  I’ll go back to Asda in the next couple of days and have a look.