Uni interview, Carlisle and t'other tales.... To debt or not to debt...

Well uni interview went OK I think. If I am offered a place do I student loan it or not! Given I have additional debts to repay la famile after the credit card debt I have a big decision to make. If I am offered this place I will be able to do something I have wanted to do for a very long time but it will involve more debt and I will have to rent out the house ( no sign of a sale - no one even viewing the damn thing) and will have to add to the rent  to cover the mortgage meaning I need to borrow more/trounce savings. My initially thoughts are maybe try next year............ but the course may be scrapped by next year - I need more information on this point.

Alternatively I could apply for a part time course for next year 2012 start which would take approx two years to complete if the course is still running. I need more information. I also need to find out if I am offered a place. Regardless of whether I go or not I would like to be offered a place for purposes of ego!

I have financial things to sort out first and a new job to start as well as a current job to complete - I have a ridiculous amount of admin to do for this thing. Grrrr stupid IT that relies on your home internet connection.

Don't think they allow people to defer.... would be good if they did then may have a chance to sell the house and be in a better financial position. Ho hum 

Weeny girl had a fun time and really enjoyed her 121 time with Biggles. She adores him but is a natural child around him- comfortable enough to be naughty lol She went to soft play and scored for a rainbow coloured alice band for her hair which she will wear with pride to nursery tomorrow. 

I get paid tomorrow and will start the frugalling plan anew. With silly interviews and such I have over spent this month. I have also thrown away a receipt for work expenses and it was approx £9!!!  This  silly behaviour annoys me big time - I deserve a slap for wasting money!

I am now on the hunt for a dust ruffle - valance sheet for a king size bed. Plain - cream, beige, ecru, brown - all shades ( BORING but goes with the rest of the plain stuff till I get busy with the paint brush.. not sure when this will be as I have plenty projects and things I need to do before its a priority!!!)

Paper work is a calling - personal admin as well as work - booooo 

enough to do.... when can I have a proper life again...

Ok first of my three prep days at school. Twas grand. Tomorrow I have the bank accounts to change back again!  How dull, some boring work stuff to do and if time the job application. Sigh. The weather is getting nice and all I really want to do is be outside. I have numerous gardening and decorating jobs but I suppose the prep comes first.  On with trying to establish the new life or rather career!!!  Apart from the money aspect being made redundant is a real pain in the butt. I really want to be focusing wholeheartedly on  Roo at the moment and what is best for her not splitting my time with a new career! But money being the root of all evil is also important ..... at the moment - well having the potential to earn enough to keep a roof over our head and have a reasonable standard of frugal living. Enough to live and make provisions for our future. Nothing consumerist required - no need. I have no interest in the high street, shopping centres, retail parks, package holidays, flash cars, furniture, spa days, expensive hobbies -Zilch, nadda, nothing, leaves me cold cold cold. Or gadgets, dvds, games consoles, brand named food, ready made frozen food, delicacies, jewellery ( expensive)........

Enough for wholesome food, my bills and worthy enriching experiences for my darling daughter not necessarily expensive ones. A few classes - ballet, swimming, music maybe one day, camping, the occasional holiday non flash type - Euro camp for the foreign experience type thing. I def do not want her to be used to the med every year!!! eurgh - fish and chips Spanish style!!! One day I would like a dog if I am ever in the position to have enough time to meet its needs satisfactorily.

Dave you are a git!!! If it was just me then I wouldn't be bothered I wouldn't be here anyway but the life I had crafted was not for me alone and the changes from you choices effect the most precious person and that makes you a super shitty little git.

Treasures.............. very pricey treasures!!!

My my those charity shops know a find and how to price one!!! Everything I looked at today was priced accordingly  from handbags to a fabulous pink maxi dress - lots of sparkle and polyester- very 70's. I wouldn't have bought it as no where to wear it but..... and  for £24.99...... not my price range!  Anything of age is priced accordingly. Lots of shirts  too but all size 18 including polyester pussy bows  also made in England and a great handbag  - patent brown with snap lock circa 1970 which was £9.99

I really don't think they will sell particularly well in the area but ho hum. I checked out Relate in Ashington and then done the usual circuit in Alnwick. It was lunch time and post interview I figured I deserved some relax time!!! Interview went well I feel. How well time will tell. I would like the job but the money is truely pants and the college is being taken over by another college so can only offer a fixed contract till end of July. The  likelihood of being kept on and given  a perm contract is good. If offered I will probably take it on  4 days a week and look for other stuff just in case. I could really get my teeth into it and would enjoy it so.... travel could be worse. On four days I will do 120 miles. On Mondays I do over 80miles so some savings to be made in petrol me thinks. ( 60 miles on Thursday and 40 on Fridays  meaning a bit of a difference) Better than dreading work and hating most of the time spent there and bringing work home due to the dire state of the ICT available working remotely. You also don't really  get to see your colleagues which is half the fun of working- well ok a perk.  I see people but only once a week.  Have another to draft and also prep for the uni interview next week.

Busy day tomorrow - up early  to take Roo to a friends for the day as its typically a non nursery day then to  Alnwick. Will be doing approx 100 miles tomorrow!!! 

Roo wants feeding - tut tut how dare she!!!  Then  we are off to an early bed!! Its pretty chilly now after a glorious day so warmest place is bed!

Sad about frugal queen her frugal examples and tips were great.

Maybe she is still reading blogs just not writing. Sending small hand wave if so

Have a picture of the very pink dress which I will  post at some point. its fabulous darrrrrrrrhlings! High necked sleeveless, Flash of sequins and beads around the middle....... garish!!!

I have dided the facebook thang! Here is the dress - 22/3/11

 Doesn't do it justice really - Anyway it says it was a size 14 - more like 12 so too small for me!!! A saving thus of 25 quid!!!

Nothing on a Sunday!

Well I achieved very little today.. best laid plans of mice and men eh Slept in till 11am!!! I couldn't believe the time when I got up!!!! Biggles was already on his way home. Managed all but a quick tidy, breakfast, and food prep and long conversaqtion with my sister re future mum plans before he turned up around 2;30ish Hadn't even managed a shower!!! 

I have made a timetable re how to get the copious amounts of stuff I have to do this week done!

Roo returned at 5pm - hadn't been anywhere despite being late. She was OK a little subdued as ever. I would feel happier if I knew she was the focus of his weekend - or rather the kids were the focus of the adults weekend and not just additions to be sent to the garden to play while the smoking of fags and watching of telly takes place. This may change as I will have a lot of running around to do in the future and Roo has other family to see who may be living in Clackmannanshire which is not that far away from the northern reaches and also a grandmother in a care home in Ayr.

Cheapie chicken pasta bake was rather nice and will feed me again tomorrow.
cheap passata, pasta, chicken breasts, array of veg to hand,onions, garlic, mozzarella and cheese to top seasonings of choice - rather yummy and Biggles who is just a little fussy about anything with tomato in it  enjoyed it and looks forward to the next batch.

Interview tomorrow - job sounds grand but the pay is absolutely rubbish.   Have another application to complete for the 28th and the uni interview to prepare for. Ahhhhh I am juggling so many balls that related to plan b,c and d as well as trying to sell up. Plan A is a bit personal and rather a long shot so am keeping mum on that one.  

It would be nice to have just one goal to achieve at a time  (and I mean goal outside of the really important parenting stuff.)

Back to the grind - I will get my camera at some point!

I cannot help myself..........tales of a waistcoat, jelly mould and barbie!

Have managed  one of the things on my list so far! But did nip out after dropping off the Weeny Roo with her 'other family' to help a chum with an application form! On the way back drove through Morpeth and told myself would only call in at the charity shops for a perusal  if I could find an easy peasy high street parking spot!!  not easy in Morpeth High Street on a Saturday. I Kind of did just as I was on my out of the main shopping drag opposite the Relate shop!!! Now I can walk away from most goodies but not a waistcoat - Black fitted, plain (- not the leather or special variety but a cheap one in good nick from the high street), a small jelly mould - just enough for 2.3! and a winter coat for 2.99 for Roo aged 4-5!! Full length, very pink made by........ barbie  - boooo (Am not a fan of the out of proportion plastic moulded thing with a waist the same width as her neck!)  Couldn't turn it down though -  in too good  condition! It has barbie written on the back and on the front. I have a cunning plan however to tart it up ( as if it needs tarting up with that name on the back!)  Daisy, flower and other style girly  patches!!!!  I have a goodly while to find said customising items at a reasonable price - very very cheap other wise could have bought a coat from primarni new!!! And if I don't it will be fine for playing and daycare and getting grubby!!!!

Waistcoat - 3.49. Cheaper than the ones I saw on ebay with postage which were nonetheless equally plain and black and nowt to shout about. Dinky knobbly jelly mould 1.49 and coast 2.99!!!  Put away for next year.

Have managed one of the work tasks, have a few more to do - OK 2 items to put onto a database online and then an article to read and make notes on and a skeleton job application to draft! (I have a hand written application to complete! Boooo much prefer online.) 


My left leg is missing, my heart beats slower with a dull thud- I miss her lots. She didn't want to leave me this morning and has been saying that she does not like her dad's girlfriends son. He is about 7, her half sister is also there and is 7 as well. She has an older cousin 9ish who often goes over as well. The entire crew were there today which is nice in a way but they are older than her and I think they get a bit tired of the small one spoiling their grown up games. I know that the kids will be left to amuse themselves while the adults do adult stuff- watch telly and smoke fags. I hope she is OK. Time will tell. She comes back tomorrow at 5pm. Sigh
I know he was going out to work and leaving her with the entire crew of kids and his girlfriend. He  was outside with his work van and in work clothes. Shame - he only sees her every other weekend for approx 30 hours and she spends 12 of them asleep ( OK closer to ten as she sleeps light)


OK I look for excuses not to work!!!!!!!!! Biggles back tomorrow afternoon. Mother Biggles liked her birthday pressie from us and from Roo and the cards. All good. Now I really really must get on!!!

Friday yet again........ tragic

Happenings in Japan are awful. I  feel for those who have lost family, friends, homes, lives, livelihoods. Puts things into perspective when you see what can be taken away in  an instant and so dramatically.

On a different note I have an interview date for uni earlier than was indicated  so not excellent but I will manage. Quite annoyed as they told me April and have brought it forward. I had made plans around April and arranged to  visit and talk to people who could help me with the course/interview. Also means no trip to the Land of Whippets as I will need to stay at home and take advantage of the peace while gorgeous one is visiting her other family.

May be busy and unable to blog for a while as now have a list of things to do including job applications, work-  horrible stuff and better more interesting interview stuff - loads of it to read. Boooo Dull as shite.


Baked spuds, salad and Tuna for 2.3 again. Fajitas tomorrow - its Saturday! And Roast on Sunday. Lunch is typically a late bigger breakfast  or rather second breakfast for gorgeous one with later snacks, or beans on toast or toasties or soup. Breakfast is toast or toast or cereal or special days bacon sandwiches - normally when bacon is on special offer. Bacon sarnies mean not a lot of lunch - pass direct to supper, do not pass teatime and do not collect further food! Ok fruit is allowed!  I always have a stash of fruit, yoghurt and ice cream and cheapie digestive biscuits in for the for the gorgeous one. I find cooking therapeutic and enjoyable.Not as much as bargain hunting but not bad.  When I get the time I will budget each meal that I cook on a regular basis.

Enjoy the weekend !!!


Love Eeek
xxx

Rugby!!!! Biggles is bringing beer!  Bless him!!!

Chip shop curry Thursday and a job interview!!

Ahhh another day - and another indulgence. Three quid for a syrup brown leather handbag with a flower motif - Its lovely and I love it - not good as I have a plan but.............

 

In response  to this over spend I have had another clear out and will sell some clothes and curtains - its good to de clutter! Am also stock piling for a car boot sale! Car boots are great  when you are a seller you don't have time to buy!!!

 

I shall also post pics of the finds when I dig out the software for the camera!

 

Job interview is positive - its still about 10k less than I was on and less per hour than I am now but more if I work full time. Its with a local college which is good and only about 20miles away and I can get the bus however its only guaranteed till July 31st when the college is taken over by another college so I don't know if I can take the risk.... I shall go to the interview anyway - good practice.

 

Had the delights of chip shop home made curry!! You know school curry - makway curry sauce special  with onion, chicken and peas and sweetcorn thrown in for good measure with a naan bread and a bag of boil in the bag rice!  Biggles came over for tea again. He is on leave and considering the pressies of this lap top ( his old one) and a TV for looking after him when he was in hospital plus all the other nice stuff we do hes worth it!!!!

 

Small gorgeous one loves having him around too. Nearly time for weekend number two. Apart from another two job applications I may get one or two things from the list accomplished!

Projects: 

• Under stairs cupboard to sort and retrieve software for camera
• Kitchen draws to sort - numerous bits for boot sale
• Clothes to further sort with view to stuff to save for sister, stuff to recycle for cash
• Sewing projects - smock top thing to hem the sleeves, curtains to hem ( I feel a wonder web moment coming on)
• Curtains to re hang
• Car to valet - its disgusting - need to fit wheel trims
• Glass to recycle
• Upstairs floors to sweep
• Shed to sort out - I have a chest of drawers to revamp
• Plan the garden for this year - I have seeds to plant and pots to re pot and ferns to plant etc
• I have decorating also but am waiting for better weather (- prob the same for the garden and shed and car valeting )

TTFN

 Eeeeek