Wednesday 27 June 2012

Pay day tomorrow...

And so we make it to another pay day. Shopping.

Weeny and I have eaten very cheaply since our mini roast  on Sunday.

Eggy Bread!!!
Ham Ggg and chips with left over salad bits for me Chicken and chips with salad bits for weeny
Pizza and Crudites - cucumber and carrot to dip in mayo!!

I always make sure Weeny has at least a piece of fruit before she indulges in simple puddings - choc biscuits or ice cream with sauce.


Thursday and  I need to fill up on some basics as well as weekend food. Should come in under £30.
Thursday will be something quick and easy adn prob yellow stickered!

Friday - Spicy sausage and bean casserole with baked spuds.
Saturday - my curry with veg. using makway curry paste tastes just like chinese takeaway curry.
Sunday - Chicken and bacon parcels with mash and veg


Weeny is away this weekend. Sniff. We don't liek it but we need to put up with it.

Biggles and I will attempt to get to Durham again.

I met some lovely podiatrists on Monday. I am really enjoying my job but I know it goes no where. I am worried though... of hte unknown and failure!

I may feel better once I have seen houses and schools.


I shall keep an open mind. I have a telephone appointment with the Welfare officer on Tuesday of next week.


The local podiatrist was very positive. As was the newly qualified podiatrist that was with her. Also positive about work prospects if you are willing to move for jobs and other opportunities.

I shall keep in touch and ask for a placement there I think. its a long way from Durham but useful fo rthe future I think. Alot of travelling but who knows....I can alwasy get a child minder for a short period or even take Weeny out of school. Some home ed stuff from a chum may not hurt.





Tuesday 26 June 2012

Real Food Works!!!

Local enterpise trying to get folk to eat healthily specialising in quick easy cheap nutritious microwave recipes.

Some of them are bloody lovely! Using cheap ingredients usually no more than 6 ingredients, simple instructions and take no longer than `15 mins. Quite ingenious some of them!

The enterprise will do demos locally as long as they have access to an electricity source and hot water!

Starters, soups, mains loads of stuff!!!

http://www.realfoodworks.co.uk/recipes.html

Sunday 24 June 2012

All plans cancelled due to virus. nothing to report bar sore throat and general aches and ferling rubbish. Also the house I wanted to look at was taken so will venture to deepest darkest Durham another time. I have to take documents to the college on person so will kill two birds.

Thursday 21 June 2012

The weekend doth approach!!!!

I like me a Thursday - the end is nigh!!!! Of the week that is.  No great plans - usual swimming then a trip to look at the Durham village I may consider gracing with my presence for the next few years.

Weeny girl is adopting a fantastic fashion sense. It helps that she has a plethora of clothes - hand me downs, some bought for her and some bought second hand.

Yesterday she went out in leopard spot leggins under a long pink maxi dress with a furry Gillette! She looked cool as. I let her choose her garb when she gets changed from school before she plays out with some little pals. They don't go far - just the front of the houses in case you were worrying. She is only four after all.

I wear boring work stuff so my begin a weeny's mad fashion outfit post. She chooses jewellery and other accessories as well.  Its cute. Well I think so.

Down to the last £50 and a week till pay day. I need petrol and some bits of food.
 Tom sauce, bread, milk, fruit, ham,  I can cope with the rest.

We will be eating

Thursday - Hmmm not sure yet - See what cheap delights there are in Morrisons! Yellow Stickers!!!!
Friday - Thai Curry
Saturday - Lemon Chicken
Sunday - Cheap turkey roast.

Biggles is off to Knock Hill racing thing on Sunday. he has won a pillion trip around the circuit with a Superbikes rider dude of who's name I have forgotten. We are staying at home. he will be back late Sunday night before heading off again on Monday.

Weeny and I will do stuff on Sunday depending on the weather. Inside crafty things or a mooch in the park I reckon.

Hulne Park maybe which is the Duke of Northumberlands personal playground and open to the Serfs who live in Alnwick. No swings but an abbey ( ruined) a folly and some other bits.

http://www.northofthetyne.co.uk/hulnepark.html



View across the county
Brizlee Tower


I do live somewhere pretty. Though County Durham is nice too and needs must. Am not lookign forward to moving Weeny girl and heading off in to the unknown.  At least at the moment I know I can feed and clothe her but if I don't do anything nothing will change....... Sigh.

Monday 18 June 2012

Apart from the dilemma... well...

Biggles and I had a week off together - whay hey!!! The three of us trundled to Scotland to see my sister and family.

We had planned to do lots of things but my cousins funeral was Wednesday mid week after bank hols. I wanted to go as did my sister so we arranged to fly to Norwich in the morning and back that evening.

Prior to that we had a bike adventure. Weeny stayed with her auntie for treats and jubilee parties.
Biggles and I headed off  on the bike for an adventure all the way to the Kyle of Lochalsh and Skye.
We camped by Eilen Donan ( Sorry not the right Gaelic spelling). It was lovely.  My MOT was due so we headed back to Northumberland on Thursday.  We ate out - three times. Horrendous. but you don't have much options if you are biking.

The funeral was so very very wrong. Surreal as she had taken her own life. The eulogy from her family alluded to this albeit nicelyish but there was tension and blame.

Good to reconnect with other family members but in really shitty circumstances.

It was as I thought - unhappy marriage a huge violent argument with her daughter who apparently had slapped her mother and tore the shirt from her back. She is apparently a very spoilt girl. Likely that her the young daughter will lose touch with her great grand mother and father. Its all very tragic and sad for all and especially my cousin. Not everyone is blessed with strength in the face of adversity. Some keep getting up again and like they say you can't keep a good dog down but not everyone is made of sterner stuff.

It was never appropriate to ask too many questions. We got the gist of it and let people speak but he atmosphere was there.  Wakes are often celebrations of life. This one def wasn't.

Hopefully at peace now and I pray for strength for her parents, sister and children to get through it.

Her sister confirmed that her husband was possessive, jealous, controlling though never violent but moody and had the purse strings but we all knew that from a long time ago and some leopards never change their spots.


But camping by motorbike was ace!!!

I return to my dilemma...... ahhhhhhh lol Will get there. I do need a change though- or at least need to try for a change. I am not ready to settle just yet. There is life in the old dog and she is eager and sniffing  for a new challenge. Which one I really do not know. ha ha

Sunday 17 June 2012

Dilemas Dilemas--- any thoughts???? Any and all welcome

I will do a catch up post as its been nearly a month since I dropped in.

I am  in a major dilemma. I have places for both courses - the three year podiatry degree and the 9mth PGCE.

I swing towards teaching then back to podiatry.  Ahhh It an agonising decision. I cannot defer teaching as the funding will be cut for next year so likely course will not be running.

Podiatry is three years so the sooner I start the better.

Ahhhh  

I could defer podiatry and save some cash/pay off some debts but to be honest I will be in a similar if not better financial position once a student. Looks as if I will have more cash actually than when working full time, paying council tax and full rent and 30% of my child care fees and commuting 50 miles a day.

In Three years( - well its 33 months to be precise as the last summer does not count!) I will be 42 going on 43. Is there a lot more I could achieve in a year as a qualified podiatrist? IE could I defer for a year save money etc etc It would not help my career as I would be working in a completely different area once studies completed.

 Bugger Bugger Bugger.

Employment prospects I think would be better with podiatry. And I can always take a PCET PGCE if I am that desperate afterwards to work with teenagers. They do keep you young and you have to have a sense of humour.

I would find work after PGCE - I have careers post grad quals that would make me more employable esp in conjunction with PGCE.

Debt accrued via student loans is greater with PGCE 9k + 3k - 12k approx
Podiatry - 6k or there abouts.


However I would get back to work quicker after PGCE and term time would be ideal with weeny girl.

How long term time would be useful - till she is about 13 I suppose.

Podiatry can be part time no probs however not quite term time but how long would that be useful for??? I will be term time as a student for two summers, three Christmas's etc etc


Any thoughts as my head is buckled.

Which would I prefer.... That's equally tough so am looking at the practical side to help me make my decision.


Do I see myself as a teacher.... hmmm I have worked so long in informal ed - youth work and as a careers adviser I am not sure.  Could I work with parents..... other teachers - and there are some stick up their arses in that profession - sorry to my lovely teacher peeps but you know the sort particular to teaching and academics.

Is my grammar good enough - it really needs some work and I only have two chances of passing the QTS maths and |English test.


Maybe the 9 months is a big gamble...... PGCE.

 Smelly feet, pus, festering things - no problem !!!!

Normal Service shall resume soon....

Normal service shall resume shortly. Promise. All ok this end. Hope you are all too.
Thank you for your prayers Christine.

XXXX Eeek