Jobs are like number 3 buses - none for ages, then two come along at once…this is EXACTLY what happened when the lace factory went belly up; zilch for 5 weeks, then a maternity cover contract and the job I ended up taking both offered within 24 hours!!!

So - what do we have?

Job #1 - much longer commute, more flexibility, working approx 32 hours/week (hours tbc, but something like 9-5.30), better variety, excellent prospects

Job #2 - virtually round the corner, more rigid, working 11am-8pm 4 days/week (34 hours), very little variety (call centre type thing), good prospects

Weighing both up financially, I’d be better off with the local job (petrol being as bastard expensive as it is), but the hours would pretty much kill any weekday social life I might have. And I think I might get bored.

Got til end of play tomorrow to decide! - any thoughts?

Spring FORWARD, Fall BACK.

I know that. Really, I know that.

Doesn’t really explain why I put my phone, and therefore my weekend alarm clock back last night instead of forward then, does it?

Oh well, made everybody at the hospital radio conference in Leeds laugh when Chris and I were 2 hours late for breakfast…

According to my little card, today marks 21 visits to the gym since I rejoined on 5th February.

So why have I just had to buy a new pair of jeans in the next size UP??!!

S’not fair!!!

Today is also Day 70 of not smoking for Chris, so let’s bask in his glory for a bit as I don’t have any of my own…!

As I sit here sneezing my head off and with eyes streaming, I am pleased to say that the interview which could have been tomorrow is actually Monday…alongwith another interview, so Monday’s looking quite busy!

In other news I had a lovely massage today, a monthly habit my physio said I really ought to get back into, so I have, money be damned!!

I don’t think I’ve mentioned going back to the physio had I? Lugging heavy boxes and furniture back in January didn’t seem to have done my (already) knackered shoulder much good, and the supposedly better one was playing up too. So I took myself back to my physio, and am going to have a course of physio sessions with exercises and stretches in between - she said she’d rarely seen a person of my age so stiff and knotted up, joy!

I’m sure intraveneous WD40 would be a good idea…

So. Having had nothing concrete arranged for the past week, why is it that when I may have a job interview on Thursday and am going away this weekend, I start coming down with a stupid, sodding cold NOW??!!

Fek!!

Chris has been away for the last couple of days of one of his muppet football weekends, and the cats have been taking full advantage of the extra bedspace available. Consequently I’ve had a couple of disturbed nights, of which last night was the worst.

This goes some way to explaining why a fair proportion of today has been spent chez sofa - not just catching up on sleep, but trying to get some much needed heat from my beloved hot water bottle into my aching back and shoulders!!

*creak*

Wow! Less than 24 hours and I’m already over a third of the way towards my target for Race for Life - thank you SO much!!!

This means, that possibly for only the second time in my life, I’m inclined to take Gottle’s advice, and have upped my target accordingly - we’re now aiming at £150, and I’ve yet to nag Chris!

Wonder if I ought to start training yet?

The more observant of you will have noticed an addition to my blog page, a link to my Race for Life online sponsorship form.

I did the Race for Life back in 2004, and narrowly avoided being trampled to death (I’d got all enthusiastic and joined my friend where she was waiting to start - by the marker saying “runners” - the “walkers” marker was some 100mtrs behind us. It was run or die; I nearly achieved both) - and I managed to raise some £300.

I’ve not set my sights quite so high this time around, as I haven’t got a place of work to beg round - but I have got you lot!! Please, if you can, add yourself onto the list, with any small amount you can afford. The Big C affects too many of us, and this is as good a cause as any to help fight back.

Cheers

Apologies to anyone who’s tried to comment on the last few blogs, wordpress seemed to have its fingers in its ears, going “la la la” - anyway, the technical genius known as Gottle has clouted wordpress round the back of the head, and all now seems to be OK.

Thanks Gottle!

A lot of things are beginning to feel distinctly easier. Take the other night when Mum was meant to ring me, but didn’t. This would previously have meant repeated phone calls to her which she would have been unlikely to have heard, followed by a dash round there to find that all was well (or not as the case may be). Ultimately, this would have meant Stress.

This time however, it was a mere shrug of the shoulders, and a “meh, I’ll just phone the Lodge in the morning with a message.” No stress!!! None!!!

It might sound like a trite example of how much easier things are now becoming, but believe me, when you’ve been stuck in that mindset for so long, it’s HUGE.

Today however, was a surprise. Today marked 11 years since we lost Dad, and I was fully expecting to feel as sad and pointless as I have on previous anniversaries.

But I didn’t. Far from it.

Of course the day was still poignant - Mum and I drove over to the churchyard to tidy him up a bit, and place new (fake, they last longer) flowers, and then we had lunch and I took her back again - but there was no heavy underlying sadness or depression. And I think I know why.

Before this year, the reality of losing Dad has been compounded on an almost daily basis by the reality of still having Mum, and the anniversary emphasised this tenfold. This year, because the day to burden has been removed so totally, so satisfactorily, I can finally remember Dad in peace.

Thank God.

The smell sticks in the back of your throat, makes your eyes water, and it ruins whatever you’re wearing.

What it doesn’t do is clean the mould of the grouting and sealant in our shower. No matter what it says on the tin. Some ten applications later, I think I’m qualified to say this.

It’s been a bit of an ongoing battle with the shower, which, after all, is only 18 months old. Despite buying nearly every cleaning product known to man, and making some pretty lethal homemade combinations, the mould remains. Paler, but it’s still there. Methinks a suitable mould resistant grout/sealant was not used in the first place.

So, we’ve bitten the bullet, and before it gets any worse, we’re having the old grout scraped out and the whole thing redone. With the proper stuff (I know it’s the proper stuff, I bought it myself). Bah.

Or, if you’re American - check!

It’s been a day of ticking things of a list of jobs that’s been building up -

The new gas cooker finally has its own power source for the igniter and light

The washing machine has a new door seal

(obviously I didn’t do these two things myself - I got a man in!)

Mum’s had her care review (all went very well)

Pickle & Button have a vets appointment next week for their anti-flea injection

Mum has dr’s appointment (just a check up)

…and an optician’s appointment (new glasses post cataracts)

I have an appointment for a physio assessment (supoosed good shoulder has been playing up something chronic since all the heaving and humping involved in emptying Mum’s flat)

1 job applied for online, one by letter and a completed application form posted. That’s 7 irons currently in the fire

Net curtain rod in sitting room repaired (ready to be Eric’d again)

Bookcase in dining room (yes I can get to it at last!!!) sorted to make room for Mum’s Giles annual collection (no way was I letting that go!)

I like days like today

I have almost got my dining room back.

Mum and I sorted quite a bit of the remaining stuff today, and what is left has been condensed into one medium sized box. So, once we’ve taken our old TV over to her’s tomorrow, and Chris has shifted some of his football stuff into the loft, we will have a functioning dining room again! Woo hoo!!

Somewhat less pleasantly, I have spent a fair proportion of this afternoon on all fours in the sitting room sniffing the carpet. Apparently a UV light is pretty good at detecting where cats have gone where they shouldn’t, but I don’t have a UV light, and the ex (the only other person I can think of who might) seems to be away. So nose to the grindstone as it were. I get all the good jobs!!

There we go then, I am now an official government statistic. Wasn’t too painful a process, in fact the main person I saw was very nice and helpful (think she recognised I was a normal genuinely looking for work person amongst the dropkicks I saw there. Sorry if that sounds snobbish, but honestly…!). I shall give it a few weeks of being available anytime for interviews, and then if no progress look at temping a bit more. Ho hum.

In other news, gym again this morning (the scales are still hateful lying bastards!), and Chris has hit Heinz day - 57 days of not smoking, hurrah!! In fact, he actually said this evening he couldn’t see himself going back to being a smoker, double hurrah!!!

Several years ago, Mum was awarded Disability Living Allowance (DLA) on account of her bi-polar disorder, and her arthritis. DLA is made up of two parts : care and mobility; Mum was assessed at the medium rate for care and the lower rate for mobility.

Social Services had already explained that Mum would lose the care component when she moved into the home, and they faxed the relevant forms to the DLA people on 8th January - moving day itself. They are meant to allow 28 days before suspending that part of the benefit.

So why are they still paying her the full amount?

According to the DLA peeps, they never received the fax. So I’ve had to go over all the information once more, and they’re saying they’ll probably have to suspend the whole payment while they sort it all out. Which could take 8 weeks. Then they’ll want their money back.

But that’s not all, oh no. The really bonkers part is that they’ll probably also reassess Mum to ensure that the medium care component (which she won’t get anymore more) shouldn’t actually be the higher rate (which she won’t actually get anymore).

WHAT’S THE BLASTED POINT OF THAT?????????

If our Darling chancellor wants ways to cut government spending, I’ve got a few ideas…

Guess what I’ve been doing this afternoon?

Had a desperate SOS phone call from MD of old job this morning - half the department down with the lurgy, other half away on compasionate leave of one sort or another…was there any way I could help?

Well, as luck would have it, I was at a bit of a loose end (yes I know I’m supposed to be enjoying a break, but did you SEE the weather today? I can’t afford to go shopping, and Jeremy Kyle’s getting tedious), and today was the one day this week I could help, so I did. Four and a half hours of head down & get on with it style work, and the decks are clear once more.

Dang I’m good

I’d made a deal with myself that if I hadn’t heard anything back from last week’s interview by today, I’d start the job seeker’s allowance process again - now I’m no longer temping, I’m elligible to make a claim.

And, as at the time of writing, I’ve heard diddly squat. So I’ve made the call, and have an appointment at the job centre on Friday.

Bah.

I decided to take advantage of the lovely sunny afternoon we’ve had here (calm before the storm perhaps?) and do something I’ve not done in aaaaages - a walk along the canalside. Met some nice dogs and just about managed to get home before the rain came down!! Can’t remember when I last did the walk, but I have a feeling it’s over a year.

I’ve also achieved a further 3 job applications, so there’s some more irons in the fire. I’m still hoping to hear something positive about last week’s interview tomorrow, so everthing is still crossed on that score. And tonight Chris and I are debating whether or not to brave the impending storm and head out to the quiz - there are warnings about not making unneccessary journeys, but I’m not sure if that’s for overnight/tomorrow morning.

One last thing - when I got into the car this morning to tootle off to the supermarket, Radio 1 was playing Buggles!!! Wonder if there might be a campaign to get it re-released? Bet it’s go straight to number 1 if it was!

Anyone see ITV’s Gulity Pleasures tonight? For the record (no pun intended), it was a number of groups/solo artists performing their favourite “guilty pleasure” song. The Feeling opened the show with their rendition of The Buggles’ Video Killed the Radio Star.

Guilty pleasure? Buggles??? NO!!!!!!!!!

In my own sod being humble opinion, Video Killed the Radio Star is quite possibly the best pop song EVER, and I am happy to declare it loud & proud!!!

Over to you…

Today marks Chris’ fiftieth day of not smoking - hurrah!! He is rightfully feeling pretty damn chuffed at this achievement, and says he’s feeling the physical benefits as well as the financial ones.

Today also marks me going to the gym for a month (well, a month and two days to be strictly accurate). I’ve been 14 times, and have been very good at keeping to my no chocolate/full fat coke on weekdays Lent pledge. And yet the may they eternally be damned scales at the gym tell me I’ve put on .02kg - not a lot I know, but I’d much rather it was in the opposite direction!

*makes mental note for next weigh in to make it early morning, preferably after colonic irrigation (that last bit was a joke)*